Children's Dental Services

Children's Dental Services (CDS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the oral health of low-income and underserved populations in Minnesota. Founded in 1919 to serve orphans after the Spanish Flu pandemic, CDS has become a major public dental health safety net provider. The organization is managed by Executive Director Sarah Wovcha, who holds a law degree from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.

CDS operates on a non-profit business model, accepting all forms of insurance, including Medical Assistance, and offering a sliding fee scale for uninsured, income-eligible families to eliminate cost as a barrier to care. The organization provides services through fixed clinics in Minneapolis, Duluth, and soon Chisholm, as well as through mobile dental clinics at over 500 community sites like schools, Head Starts, and WIC clinics across more than 60 Minnesota counties. This strategy aims to overcome transportation barriers for its clients. In 2020, CDS served over 37,000 patients.

The organization offers comprehensive dental services, including exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and sealants. Its target clients are children from birth to age 26 and pregnant women. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, services were expanded to include family members of all ages. To address language and cultural barriers, CDS employs a diverse staff representing 26 countries and speaking 23 languages.

Keywords: nonprofit dental care, public health dentistry, pediatric dental services, mobile dental clinics, Minnesota healthcare, underserved communities, low-income healthcare, school-based dental care, oral health education, dental safety net, accessible dental care, community health services, children's oral health, pregnant women dental care, sliding scale dental, Minnesota nonprofit, dental outreach, culturally-tailored healthcare, restorative dental treatment, preventive dental care