Someone to care for our children’s teeth could be just steps away from their classroom.

The Smilemobile is a dental office on wheels. It allows city children like Adriana Guzman to get some much needed dental care.

The Eastman Dental Center, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center started the Smilemobile program 40 years ago. Private donations help these mobile units serve students at 18 city schools during the year and visit children in rural areas during the summer.

“Some of them, they need a lot of work because, as I mentioned usually it’s their first real dental experience,” said Dr. Desiree Laracuente, pediatric dentist.

For every child that lacks medical cover, nearly three have no dental insurance. Few pediatric dentists accept Medicaid.

Oral health problems are one of the leading causes of absenteeism for kids from school. Research shows links between poor oral health and diabetes, heath disease and low birth weight.

“Over 50 million school hours are lost every year nationwide due to dental disease,” said Janice Glenn of the Eastman Dental Center.

The Centers for Disease Control says tooth decay in baby teeth is on the rise.

While many think these tiny teeth aren’t important…

“If you have diseased baby teeth, it can lead to decay in your adult teeth. So you need to be taking care of them,” Glenn said.

Eight-year-old Adriana needed a filling. She’s counting on this one to be her last.

The Smilemobile is already in the Hudson valley and may soon be making its way to Buffalo.