Detroit’s Health Hubs Bring Oral Health Professionals to Where Patients Are
Detroit’s new Health Hubs are reshaping access to medical, behavioral, and dental care by embedding providers directly inside schools across the district. By eliminating long-standing barriers, the initiative is helping thousands of students receive preventive and restorative dental care they may have gone years without.
In Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD), where more than 50,000 students attend class each day, a bold new model is closing the gap between children and the healthcare they need, particularly dental care. The district’s Health Hubs initiative places medical, behavioral, and oral health services directly inside school buildings, ensuring students can receive treatment without leaving campus or missing hours of instruction. For many families, this level of access is brand new.
The Health Hubs support DPSCD’s Whole Child Commitment, a district-wide effort to integrate physical, social, and emotional wellness into the school experience. Each hub includes four core components: a community health navigator, a resource distribution center for food and household essentials, a school-based health center, and a dedicated school nurse. With 10 hubs operating and two more on the way, every DPSCD student will soon live within 3 miles of one.
While hubs provide a broad range of services, oral health has become one of the initiative’s most urgent focus areas. District data revealed thousands of students with untreated dental disease, problems that often led to chronic pain, poor concentration, and frequent absences. In response, DPSCD expanded its dental programming with support from the Delta Dental Foundation and six rotating oral health provider partners.
The results have been striking. Students who once missed school because of untreated decay are now receiving exams, prophylaxes, restorative care, and even complex treatment during the school day. Last year alone, dental teams completed more than 4,000 fillings across 92 schools, reaching students who had long been disconnected from routine care.
Much of this progress is driven by dental navigators and school providers who coordinate care across hub sites. When a student needs follow-up treatment, transportation challenges no longer derail the process. The district can move a child from one school to a nearby hub, complete the appointment, and return him or her in time for class. The ability to maintain continuity of care, rather than provide one-time interventions, is becoming a defining feature of the program.
Prevention is equally central to the Health Hubs’ mission. Through classroom workshops and staff training, students learn the fundamentals of brushing, flossing, diet, and the long-term consequences of poor oral hygiene. Nurses and educators reinforce daily habits, helping normalize oral health as a routine part of school life.
Equity also plays a critical role. DPSCD is actively recruiting dental providers who reflect the diverse student population, recognizing that representation builds trust and comfort. The district is expanding services for students with disabilities as well, with dental teams receiving specialized training to better meet their needs.
