Hayden school nurse Anna Davis knows how valuable at-school dental appointment options can be, both from both a professional and a parental perspective.

Her own children have successfully used the mobile dental services provided by nonprofit Northwest Colorado Health. Students at the Hayden schools think it is “cool,” she said.

“It’s a huge asset to all the students in the valley, and I’m hoping they will expand to offer staff cleaning,” said Davis, the Hayden school nurse for 16 years. “It’s invaluable, honestly. It’s been great to work with them. Annie and Alyssa who work on the bus are phenomenal.”

---

---

Commonly called a dental bus, the facility actually is a well-equipped, modern, organized and welcoming mobile dental office in the form of a large, roomy RV, which hosts a 26-foot long treatment area that includes two side slide-outs. A professional driver is needed to move and level the large unit.

The mobile dental clinic is part of the School-Based Health program through Northwest Colorado Health that accepts all patients regardless of insurance status. The school-based dental program started in December 2021 in the Hayden School District with a professional dental team rolling in a cart with dental equipment to serve students.

---

---

Thanks to previous federal grants, Northwest Colorado Health ordered an approximately $568,000 mobile dental bus in 2023.

But the wait for the specialized bus was longer than expected, so the agency used a smaller, rental dental bus for almost two years. The new dental mobile unit owned by the nonprofit began operating in early 2024. The new vehicle is larger than the previous rental bus with upgraded equipment and a seating spot for patients.

“It’s great to offer it right here at school because it’s taking the parent out of the transportation and scheduling; it’s convenient,” Davis said. “I think some of the parents were hesitant at first because they weren’t sure what to expect, but now they are impressed.”

Northwest Colorado Health is collaborating with the Hayden and Steamboat Springs school districts as well as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Colorado to bring the dental services to children in the community.

So far, the mobile dental program has served 377 total students, including 88 students in Moffat County and 316 in Routt County. The dental bus completed 311 visits in 2024.

Dental Assistant Alyssa Connor works with parents in advance to sign up children for school-day appointments in the mobile clinic. The visits can include dental screenings, cleanings, exams, fluoride treatments and X-rays.

Medicaid and private insurance are accepted. If families do not have insurance, the amount paid for services through the nonprofit is based on family size and income.

The only other dental clinic in the Yampa Valley that currently accepts Medicaid for children’s dental appointments is A Kidz Dentist on Victory Way in Craig.

Organizers say many parents are big fans of the dental bus because they do not have to leave work to take their kids to routine visits. Parents are called by the dental team if anything serious comes up, and the young patients take home a graphic-friendly report after each visit.

“As a mom, I don’t have to miss work taking time to take three kids in for cleanings,” said Davis, who is often the only nursing staff serving the Hayden schools.

Recently, a student came into the Hayden school nurse office in pain with a large cavity that had abscessed. The student was able to visit the dental bus for initial assistance, Davis said.

Appointments for this school year are available for the mobile unit on Wednesdays in Steamboat Springs, alternating between the Sleeping Giant School, Soda Creek Elementary and the Strawberry Park Elementary/Steamboat Springs Middle School campus. On Thursdays, the unit is at the school district campus in Hayden. On Fridays the unit is at the Boys & Girls Club in Craig.

Appointments can be made via phone at 970-846-4426 or online at NorthwestColoradoHealth.org/schoolbasedhealth.

“We are just trying to provide the services so that it’s easy on parents,” said Annie Juergens, a registered dental hygienist who grew up in Craig. “We try to provide it to kids who may not have a realm otherwise. We try to make it fun for the kids too. We’ve had fantastic reviews.”

During the summer, the mobile dental clinic continues at centralized locations including Soda Creek Elementary or at Howelsen Hill, Juergens said.

“Developing good oral health habits early in life and receiving regular preventative care, like what we are providing through the mobile unit, can help prevent tooth decay and other costly dental problems,” said Jaclyn McDonald, director of marketing at Northwest Colorado Health. “Having a mobile dental unit is ideal for rural providers because it allows us to go to where patients are to remove barriers for those who can’t get to us.”

“The students really feel at ease about it,” Davis noted. “They enjoy it, and they think it’s fun.”