Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers awarded $50,000 grant to support mobile dental unit

April 28, 2025

CASHTON – Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers is gearing up to take a fully equipped mobile dental clinic on the road, thanks to a $50,000 Launch Grant from Mayo Clinic Health System. 

CEO Kim Hawthorne said the mobile clinic, called Scenic Smiles, will provide thousands of dental visits annually in underserved communities across western Wisconsin. 

Scenic Smiles will travel to various locations within Scenic Bluffs’ five-county service region, Hawthorne said, offering dental services such as routine cleanings and exams, fillings, extractions, preventive care and oral health education.

She said despite having high-quality healthcare systems across the region, western Wisconsin faces a shortage of dental providers, leading to notable gaps in oral health services, particularly for Medicaid patients and uninsured individuals. 

Scenic Bluffs, Hawthorne said, is one of the few dental clinics accepting Medicaid in the area and receives nearly 1,000 appointment requests each month from new patients seeking care – a demand that continues to grow despite provider expansion.

“Scenic Smiles will address one of the most pressing health challenges identified in Community Health Needs Assessments: the lack of accessible dental care,” she said. “We are so grateful for Mayo Clinic’s support of this mobile unit that will allow us to meet patients where they are, overcoming obstacles like distance, transportation and cost.”

By bringing care directly to neighborhoods, Hawthorne said Scenic Smiles will help eliminate these barriers, reducing time away from work or school while ensuring timely and consistent access to oral health care. 

Beyond immediate care, she said the mobile unit will help strengthen connections between dentists and underserved communities, fostering long-term relationships and encouraging provider recruitment in areas with the greatest need.

“Investing in Scenic Bluffs’ oral health operations not only improves access for all community members but enhances overall healthcare efficiency,” Hawthorne said.

She said Scenic Bluffs continues to fundraise to finish retrofitting the unit. 

For information on how to support this initiative or to learn more, visit scenicbluffs.org/ScenicSmiles.