MIAMI-DADE, Fla. — The “Seals on Wheels Mobile Dental Program,” sponsored by the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County, is bringing preventive dental care directly to local children. The school-based program was created to reduce oral health disparities among children in the county.
The mobile program provides comprehensive dental exams, screenings, cleanings, fluoride varnish treatments, dental sealants, and oral hygiene instruction. Staffed by a licensed dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant, the program delivers services on-site at public schools, Head Start, and Early Head Start centers during school hours.
Thanks to funding from the Children’s Trust, the program has expanded to serve Trust-funded childcare, afterschool, and summer programs in West Miami-Dade, as well as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) centers throughout the county. This expansion will allow an additional 2,000 children to receive preventive dental care and oral health education annually.
“Our goal is to ensure every child has access to a dental home and a lifetime of healthy smiles,” program officials said.
The Seals on Wheels Mobile Dental Program continues to prioritize children’s oral health by making essential dental services accessible, convenient, and free of charge.