About Care & Connect Mobile Health

Our Care & Connect Mobile Health program was designed to help people get access to health care. From emergency dental services to mental health screenings, we’re here to serve people who are struggling to get care.

Our goal is to make sure that people who face significant barriers to care can see a provider. We won’t turn away a patient with emergency dental needs who has no other way to get care.

All services are free for our patients.

Who is eligible for our services

We’re proud to serve communities who have otherwise been left behind by the health care system. There are a few criteria we require patients to meet before seeking care at our clinics.

Patients qualify for our clinics if any of the following apply to their situation:

  • A patient has an income below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  • A patient does not have private dental insurance (state Medicaid benefits through Oregon Health Plan and AppleHealth are accepted).
  • A patient has no reasonable ability to pay for the urgent care they need.
  • A patient is over 18 years old (with limited exceptions for mature minors or children at specialty sealant clinics or pediatric events).

We prioritize patients with urgent dental needs like dental pain, swelling or infection, decay, or broken teeth.

Services we provide

Our goal is to keep people out of pain by addressing our patients’ most urgent needs. We are also able to connect patients to ongoing care.

When a patient comes to a mobile health clinic, they’ll be welcomed by a friendly intake provider who will help them check in. Once paperwork is completed, the patient will go onto the dental van for their visit. Often, a nurse will give the patient a full health screening while there.

Here is a list of our primary services:

  • Fillings and restoration of teeth
  • Extractions of broken teeth
  • Treatment of infections or abscesses in teeth or gums
  • Basic exams and x-rays
  • Visits with a nurse that include screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and depression with education and connections to further resources

Some specialty clinics offer oral surgery, root canals, sealants, and hygiene services.

Please note that we do not provide the following services:

  • Dentures
  • Crowns
  • Bridges
  • Complex wisdom tooth extraction
  • Braces or other orthodontia
  • Sedation
  • Custom night-guards

How to find a clinic

We’re a mobile program, so our clinic locations change every day. The best way to find a clinic is through our clinic calendar.

See Clinic Calendar

Some clinics require pre-scheduled appointments. A phone number is listed next to the date. Please call for an appointment. Other clinics are open to walk-ins.

If a clinic is fully booked and a patient needs urgent services, we recommend arriving when the clinic opens to be first on the walk-in list.

Referrals for follow-up care

Our program doesn’t replace the value of a regular clinic, or ‘care home’ for patients. We aim to connect all of our patients with a long-term care home. That’s why we work with patients to connect them with services. We hope they’ll continue their dental or medical care in a sustainable way after we’ve moved on.

As a part of our mission to support the public safety net, we frequently refer patients to a vast network of organizations. That includes local community health centers, federally qualified health centers, and other free or low-cost clinics.