Summer Migrant Dental Clinic

Traverse City Area, Michigan

Since 1973, dental students from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry have been providing oral health care to migrant workers and their children.

Using portable dental equipment set up in a classroom at the Suttons Bay Elementary School, dental students Colleen Anderson (left) and Amanda Bucklin prepare to treat a youngster during the summer migrant dental clinic program.

Back then, it was from two vans in Stockbridge and Ada, Michigan. A few years later, students began working at several elementary schools in northwest lower Michigan.

During the past 10 years alone, more than 3,400 patients have received care from U-M dental students.

From the third week of June until the end of July, dental students, under the supervision of dentists studying in graduate programs, work in groups of eight in two-week rotations in Traverse City area communities – Suttons Bay, Williamsburg, Kaleva, and Elk Rapids. Portable equipment, including dental chairs, drills, air, water, and x-ray machines are set up in elementary schools in the communities.

While the parents work, children receive care during the day. Dental students clean teeth, do extractions, provide fillings and sealants, and also take on the role of educator. When parents finish working and return to a school to pick up their children, dental students then work into the early evening hours to treat the adults.

Educating...at Chairside and in the Classroom

As educators, dental students demonstrate simple things at chairside that children and adults can do, including brushing and flossing, to improve their oral health and minimize future problems. In classroom skits, for example, dental students often ask several children to step to the front of a classroom and stand shoulder to shoulder. When they do, the children are told they represent teeth. Using a jump rope to represent dental floss, dental students move the rope back and forth between the youngsters to show them the correct way to floss.

Using portable equipment in a classroom at the Suttons Bay Elementary School, fourth–year dental students Adam Osga (left) and Steven Obreiter treat a youngster during last summer’s migrant dental clinic program.

“The summer migrant dental clinic program has been very popular with our dental students for a long time,” says Dr. Robert Bagramian, professor of dentistry and program director. “Every year, without exception, we have at least twice as many students volunteer than we have spaces available.” Students who will begin the fourth year of their dental education in late summer are selected based on their academic and clinical performance as well as their commitment to serving those in need.

The program is funded by the School of Dentistry and Northwest Michigan Health Services. The Michigan Primary Care Association also provides support.