Jan. 28, 2026
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers expands mobile fleet with the Delta Dental Foundation's support
Midland, Mich. — The Great Lakes Bay Health Centers’ (GLBHC) dental team is hitting the road with renewed momentum as it unveils the newest addition: a state-of-the-art dental bus made possible in part by a $200,000 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF). This bus will join a fleet of five dental buses that serve Michiganders in more than 12 counties.
“Without our mobile dental program, many children would go without needed dental services and treatment,” said Dr. Paul Crowley, chief dental officer, GLBHC. “We are so grateful to our community partners that have helped us provide dental services to so many children over the years, and we look forward to continuing to serve them in the future.”
The bus—a 39-foot-long rolling dental office with three operatories—is a key component of GLBHC’s Smiles are Everywhere program, the largest mobile dental service in Michigan.
Smiles are Everywhere, which has been operating since 1997, brings care directly to children where they learn, allowing students to stay in the classroom and sparing parents and caregivers the challenge of taking time off or arranging transportation for routine appointments. Smiles are Everywhere also provides dental assessments in Saginaw, Midland, Lapeer and Huron county school districts under the Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment Program.
During the 2024-25 school year, more than 6,000 students at 200 schools have received care onboard a GLBHC dental bus—an impact that continues to grow with every stop.
When school isn’t in session, the GLBHC buses travel throughout lower Michigan to provide dental care to agricultural workers and their families along with people living in senior housing and shelters. If patients need follow-up care they’re referred to one of GLBHC’s brick-and-mortar locations to receive treatment and establish a permanent dental home.
The DDF has been a key investor in these services. Last fall, the DDF approved a $150,000 grant to support the purchase of another dental bus that will hit the roads later this year. In total, the DDF has granted more than $650,000 to GLBHC since 2018.
“Every mile this bus travels represents a child who won’t miss class, a parent who won’t have to take time off work and a community gaining access to the care they need—with fewer barriers,” says Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the DDF.
The new bus was also funded by contributions from the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the Carls Foundation and the Russell H. and Maxine E. Smith Foundation.
For more information about GLBHC and to find a health center near you, visit greatlakesbayhealthcenters.org.
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About the Delta Dental Foundation
The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. The DDF is dedicated to developing and enhancing partnerships and programs to improve oral and overall health and health equity. For more information, visit www.deltadental.foundation.
About Great Lakes Bay Health Centers
At Great Lakes Bay Health Centers we provide family medical care, pediatric care, pharmacy, women’s care, x-ray, laboratory, behavioral health care, dental care, vision care, and much more. Over the years, GLBHC has provided medical education and has collaborated with many local agencies in the public and private sectors. Community Health Centers are not just healers, we are innovators who look beyond medical charts to address the factors that may cause poor health, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, mental illness, access to nutritious food, and unemployment. We are a critical piece of health care systems and collaborate with hospitals, local and state governments, social, health and business organizations to improve health outcomes for people who are medically vulnerable. More information can be found on our website at www.greatlakesbayhealthcenters.org.
Media Contacts:
Jen Anderson
Delta Dental Foundation
517-375-5507
jmanderson@deltadentalmi.com
Monica Woods
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers
989-759-6444
mwoods@glbhealth.org