Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Health Network is stepping up children’s dental care with a mobile van — called “Miles of Smiles,” according to a recent news release.

Bringing dental services directly to children by visiting the schools they attend, the service is for any child up to age 18 but is primarily concentrated at the elementary level.

The van will visit schools that have identified a gap in dental care and will expand their scope as the program progresses.

The new van, Miles 2.0, is a second-generation effort made possible through a $500,000 grant from health insurer Capital Blue Cross.

Miles 1.0 was discontinued at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One dentist and a hygienist will work in two fully operational rooms inside the van. They will do fillings, extractions, cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments and oral health education.

Schools are chosen based on contracting and the degree of need in the district.

Parents and children are notified through brochures sent through the school, which include consent forms for parents to complete.

Parents schedule the appointments and the children are seen during their school day.

In some cases, the van can take appointments before those regularly scheduled if there is parental consent. This might be for emergencies or for those who do not have access to a dentist otherwise.

Since Pennsylvania mandates screenings for children in kindergarten, first, third and seventh grades, the dental team has been doing dental screenings in Allentown and Bethlehem as well as in the northern Pennsylvania counties.

The dental teams identify children who need follow-up care and refer them to a dental office. In some cases, the van can be used for those follow ups.