Children who live in the Mississippi Delta can now experience state-of-the-art mobile dentistry provided by Dr. LaMonica Davis Taylor, a pediatric dentist with a private practice called Smiles on Broadway Dental Care located in the city of Jackson. She has been providing dental services to children in the Delta since 2015 and currently has students in Boyle, Shelby, Mound Bayou, Cleveland, and Shaw.

Dr. Taylor and her team at Smiles on Broadway Dental Care travel to schools where they provide preventive and emergency dental care to children. All of the schools are in a health care shortage area.

Prior to purchasing the mobile clinic, she and her team would carry portable equipment to each school. The mobile clinic will allow them to treat more students in a safe environment. The students have enjoyed having Dr. Taylor and her team visit their school. Many of the parents have followed through with the recommendations and have taken their children to local dentist where more comprehensive treatment can be performed.

The goal of the clinic is to serve the most vulnerable children in that area. There is a great need. Many of the students have either never been to a dentist or have been for emergency treatment only, causing heightened anxiety and long-term fear of the dentist. “My mission is to provide quality oral health to children who would otherwise not see a dentist,” said Dr. Taylor. “It is fulfilling when our annual visits result in fewer referrals for restorative care. It means that our mission is being accomplished.”