Dental care is expensive and for some it can be difficult to access, especially in northern Michigan.
A free permanent clinic called "United We Smile” opens this weekend to serve children, pregnant people, veterans and those with special healthcare needs.
Jennifer Kearns, with United Way of Northwest Michigan, helped get the free clinic started after seeing patients as a dental hygienist.
Kearns would drive around in a mobile van serving folks in homeless encampments, elementary schools baby pantries and food pantries. Kearns found it difficult to refer folks who needed more definitive care to the right people.
"So there was a lot of skill sets that were lacking in certain providers that prevented them from feeling comfortable treating these populations," Kearns said. "So that kind of sprouted the seed that led to my frustration and saying, you know, something's got to change, and how do we improve access to care in our community.
"We can have these free programs and free dental days all you want. But until you actually change the training and the mindset of the dentists that are graduating, I didn't foresee anything getting better."
Kearns worked with United Way of Northwest Michigan and the University of Michigan to launch the program. The free clinic will teach student dentists the skills to help folks with special needs.
"They came out in January and said that it is now mandatory for the dental schools to provide these skills for future dentists to learn how to do these types of things because there is such a bad access to care issue," she said.
Kearns also talked about priority dental care for pregnant women, children and adults. Hear the full conversation at the top of the page.
The clinic will be at Copper Ridge in Traverse City.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is Friday and there is an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The clinic officially opens Sept. 5, and can be reached at 231-844-4601.
