History

The Oklahoma Dental Foundation was founded in 1959 as an outgrowth of the Oklahoma Dental Association. The ODF began as a “vehicle to carry the proper dental health story to the people of Oklahoma.” It’s quite fitting that Bert L. Castleberry, founding board member of the ODF, used the term ‘vehicle’ in his speech announcing the Foundation’s incorporation, because the ODF has become, literally, a vehicle for dentistry today as it provides dental education and care throughout the state with mobile dental services.

Now, more than 60 years later, the ODF continues its mission on behalf of the dental health of Oklahomans. There are three significant issues behind the problem of poor oral health in the state that the ODF addresses:

Mobile Dental Units

In 2005, the ODF Board made the decision to purchase two fifth wheel trailers, outfitted as dental offices, to remove physical barriers to prospective patients from receiving care, and to provide that care at little to no cost. The program provided a blueprint for the successful program currently operated by the ODF: two RVs, each completely outfitted with two operatories, allowing multiple dentists to work together.

Today, the ODF coordinates travel to dozens of counties across the state each year, utilizing site partners who publicize the Mobile Dental Units (MDU), recruit patients, screen prospective patients, schedule patients and enable the MDU to pull up and begin treating patients.

Since its first days, the ODF has fought for oral health education, access to care and research. It has achieved its mission by offering essential dental education and continuing education courses to dental professionals and providing life-changing dental treatment and oral health education to Oklahomans in need.

Oklahoma Dental Foundation Mobile Unit in front of the state capitol

[Photo of a Mobile Dental Unit]