St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic

Description

The St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic opened in 2013 in the small town of St. Francis on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. At the time, there were no dentists practicing at the local Indian Health Service facility in nearby Rosebud. Additionally, St. Francis Mission leadership became aware of extremely high rates of chronic tooth decay and gum disease among the local population. In response, the Mission collaborated with numerous partners and donors to open a dental clinic, staffed by volunteers from across the country, to offer free oral healthcare to residents of the Rosebud Reservation.

Small groups of volunteer dentists, assistants, hygienists, and students from across the country visit the clinic for short trips each year to provide free care. The following institutions have partnered with the clinic to provide short-term volunteer services:

• Creighton University
• University of Connecticut
• University of Indiana
• University of South Dakota Dental Hygiene
• A.T. Still University
• University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry

The clinic operates as an LLC with a small local staff consisting of enrolled tribal members.

Services offered

The following services are available to St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic patients:

• Diagnostic services
• Preventive care
• Restorative care
• Endodontics
• Periodontics
• Prosthetics
• Oral surgery

There is no income requirement to receive services at the clinic. During weeks when volunteers are not offering a clinic, community members are offered free toothbrushes and assistance with referrals and Medicaid enrollment.

Visiting volunteers are offered accommodations, daily lunch, tours of the local church and historical museum, and the opportunity to participate in a sweat lodge ceremony.

Results

The clinic typically offers 20 one-week clinics every year and has served 3,000 patients since transitioning to electronic records in 2021. The clinic estimates the total value of all services provided since 2021 to be $3,114,035.

This short video features patient testimonials:

In 2020, the clinic was featured in the National Rural Health Association's Compendium of Rural Oral Health Best Practices.

In this article, a dental student shares her experience working at the clinic on a volunteer trip.

Challenges

Clinic leadership identified funding and volunteer recruitment as the biggest ongoing challenges. They are continually seeking new volunteers and funding partners to support the work of the clinic.

Replication

Starting a new clinic is complicated. Don't hesitate to reach out for help. St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic leadership are happy to answer questions from anyone interested in providing a similar service in their community.

Contact Information

Macee York, Dental Clinic Manager
St. Francis Mission Dental Clinic
macee.york@sfmission.net