Dental care in Southwest Colorado is hitting the road.
Dental hygienist Courtney Justice founded Painted Sky Dental in October – a nonprofit mobile dental service that operates out of a 2019 Ram ProMaster van – to serve communities lacking access to essential dental care.
As of mid-February, the mobile clinic had served nearly 100 patients, Justice said.
Data from the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative show cost and lack of access are the main barriers to seeking dental care, despite respondents understanding the importance of oral health.
As of 2023, less than half of Coloradans were able to access the dental care they needed, according to reporting by KUNC.
The van has already had a noticeable impact in Durango, Justice said.
“I hear, ‘I haven’t been to a dentist in years,’ so many times, and I’m so grateful that we get to be the first point of contact in a very long time that (patients) see,” she said. “... I thought this service was needed, and I’m glad that it’s coming to fruition – that that was actually what was needed, and that people are getting access to care.”
As a licensed dental hygienist, Justice is able to operate the van in Colorado as a private practice, with appropriate insurance in place, she said.
Justice has brought the van – which she named Ramona – to locations across Southwest Colorado, including senior centers in Durango and Pagosa Springs, the San Juan Public Health Department in Silverton, and several Ignacio and Durango schools.
Justice said she next hopes to take the van to Fort Lewis College.
The van also makes regular trips to Manna soup kitchen every second and third Tuesday of the month to serve unhoused and economically disadvantaged residents.
Justice, an adjunct professor at San Juan College, works with the school to provide on-the-ground – or, rather, on-wheels – learning experiences for dental students.
Students Layla Denny and Sujey Mendoza-Delgado worked under Justice’s watchful eye last week at Manna.
“Even if we do get out of school and work at a dental clinic, this isn’t the population that we would (typically) be serving,” Mendoza-Delgado said. “It’s just a really great learning experience, and it’s great to give back.”
The van includes all the tools and resources needed for basic cleanings, exams and X-rays, and follows all Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines and regulations, Justice said.
The 460-cubic-foot interior of the van boasts a full-size dental chair, an Aseptico GO Ultra Portable Dental System, an intraoral camera, an aerosol-removing fan, a handheld X-ray machine and shelves stocked with dental supplies.
All tools and equipment are cleaned and sterilized between uses and at the end of the day, as they would be in a traditional dental office, Justice said.
Medicaid, Delta Dental, Cigna or United insurance and cash are all accepted forms of payment, and fees are based on Medicaid reimbursement rates, making services accessible to patients.
An adult without insurance visiting the van can expect to pay $82 for a basic cleaning. For children under 12, that cost decreases to $62.
Additional costs apply for X-rays, fluoride treatments and other services.
Manna client and Medicaid recipient Roy, who asked that his last name not be used, had his first dental appointment with Painted Sky Dental last week at Manna.
“It’s very excellent that we have it,” he said of the mobile dental service. “It’s pretty cool. Like, people that wouldn’t ordinarily get help (come here). ... Tooth pain can be the worst pain in life.”
Justice said the feedback she has received from patients so far has been deeply meaningful.
“The first ever patient I had here at Manna in the van, I told him he was my first ever patient, and he looked around, and he was like, “I’m very proud,’” she said. “And I held it together until he got out of the van, and then I just dissolved (and cried). This (program) is my heart – so for someone to say that they were proud of it was so, so cool.”
Donations and information
Painted Sky Dental is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations directly support access to essential oral health care services for residents of Southwest Colorado. To donate, visit www.paintedskydental.com/donate.
For more information about pricing, services and more, call 426-0062, email courtney@paintedskydental.com or visit www.paintedskydental.com.
Some dental services – such as fillings, gum disease treatment and tooth extractions – cannot be performed in the van, Justice said.
When dental needs exceed the services she can provide, she refers patients to nearby Medicaid-accepting providers – like Axis Health – and assists them in scheduling appointments.
Manna Director Marissa Hunt said the dental van is a valuable addition to the list of essential resources Manna supplies to the community.
“Being able to offer expansive services here is really critical – our whole goal is to be able to provide more services in one location,” she said. “... Being able to have on-site dental clinicians is so unique, and so valuable.”
The cost to launch and stock the van was about $60,000, Justice said – but donations from dental hygienists who supported the initiative reduced her out-of-pocket cost to about $5,000, she said.
Painted Sky Dental is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit – meaning donations are the primary funding force keeping the operation running.
Every aspect of the dental van reflects a labor of love and a commitment to the community, Justice said.
The ceiling of the ProMaster is painted to resemble a Colorado sky, created by Durango artist Laurie Callum, and the nonprofit’s logo – a tooth with a heart inside – matches a tattoo Justice got the day she passed her dental hygienist exams.
“My heart and soul (are) in this van,” she said.
Justice said providers understand that services such as dental care can be out of reach for many Americans.
“We have been working actively to try and make it so dental care is not as much of a luxury item,” she said. “... I want folks to know that I’m here to make it as affordable as possible ... and that we’re a safe space, and that it’s an honor to take care of them.”
epond@durangoherald.com
