New Smiles for the Panhandle
OU Dentistry launches a mobile clinic serving rural communities
where routine care is hard to find.
A new mobile dental clinic in Guymon is bringing the latest care directly to the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Launched in November by the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and the Oklahoma Dental Foundation, the MobileSmiles clinic is stationed at Memorial Hospital of Texas County and will serve patients of all ages. Equipped for cleanings, X-rays, fillings, extractions, fluoride varnish and sealants, the unit is designed to reach communities where dentist shortages can make routine care hard to find. No patient will be turned away for financial reasons, and the clinic accepts both private insurance and Medicaid.
“Access to oral health care is essential to overall health, yet too many Oklahomans live in areas where dental services are limited or unavailable,” says Dr. Paul Mullasseril, dean of the OU College of Dentistry.
MobileSmiles is also a training facility, as fourth-year OU dental students will provide care under supervision from an OU adjunct faculty member who practices in Guymon, earning course credit while gaining rural experience that can influence where they choose to practice after graduation.
The partnership advances OU’s Lead On, University strategic plan goal of helping more Oklahomans receive health care close to home.
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