City, Partners Expand Dental Care for Students
Published on April 22, 2026
Falls Community Health (FCH), the Sioux Falls School District (SFSD) and the Delta Dental of South Dakota Mobile Program are continuing a partnership to provide dental care to students in Sioux Falls.
The Delta Dental Mobile Program provides oral health services through a mobile clinic to children who lack access to or cannot afford dental care. The program’s dental truck is a 40-foot-long, fully equipped clinic that offers preventive, diagnostic and restorative care to children in the SFSD. The truck has two dental operatories and travels with a dentist, a hygienist, two dental assistants and a coordinator.
“Access to dental care is a critical part of overall health, especially in children,” said Joe Kippley, public health director for the City of Sioux Falls. “This partnership helps remove barriers and ensures more students receive the preventive and restorative care they need to stay healthy.”
In 2025, the city released its Community Health Assessment, identifying access to dental care as one of its top three priorities. The assessment helped establish a partnership in which Delta Dental of South Dakota provides the mobile unit, the SFSD demonstrates the need for consistent, year-round service in the community and FCH supplies locally based dental staff to run clinical operations.
Under the partnership, Delta Dental of South Dakota oversees the program; the SFSD hosts the mobile clinic and helps identify students who may need services; and the city and FCH deliver care on site. Sioux Empire United Way supports the effort by funding Delta Dental of South Dakota’s program as a partner agency. The partnership between the SFSD and Delta Dental of South Dakota began in 2005.
“We recognize the importance of students being healthy, in school and ready to learn,” said Molly Satter, senior coordinator of health services for the SFSD. “Students experiencing tooth pain can’t focus in the classroom, and many face barriers to accessing dental care, leading to missed school and poorer health. The Delta Dental Mobile Program helps remove these barriers by bringing preventive and urgent care directly to students without additional time away from school. As a result, we see reduced pain and fewer serious dental issues. This service plays a vital role in supporting student health and we are grateful our students have access to it.”
The Delta Dental of South Dakota mobile clinic travels to select schools in one-week stints to provide dental exams, cleanings, sealants, X-rays and restorative treatments on site. During the 2024–25 school year, the mobile dental clinic served 354 students across the SFSD, providing nearly $375,000 in preventive and restorative dental services. The mobile clinic made stops at Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Axtell Park high schools; Whittier and George McGovern middle schools; and Lowell, Laura B. Anderson, Anne Sullivan, Cleveland and Garfield elementary schools.
“For many of these students, this program is their first experience with dental care in a long time,” said Dr. Melissa Brandner, a dentist at FCH. “Being able to provide that care in a supportive, convenient environment helps build trust and encourages lifelong healthy habits.”
The mobile program, which began in 2004, has sent its dental truck to 91 communities across South Dakota, treating nearly 58,000 patients.
“The number of students served and the level of care provided through this program show just how great the need is,” said Zach Parsons, mobile program services manager for Delta Dental of South Dakota. “We’re proud to help ensure more children receive the preventive and restorative services they need to thrive.”
Parents and guardians interested in connecting their child with the Delta Dental Mobile Program should contact their child’s school for guidance. For emergencies, individuals are encouraged to seek immediate assistance. Additional information about dental services is available at siouxfalls.gov/fch.