BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine will celebrate the unveiling of its new, state-of-the-art mobile dental van "S-miles To Go" on Thursday, Nov. 15, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Milton J. Fletcher Elementary School, 301 Cole Ave., Jamestown, N.Y.

The event is free and open to the public.

Constructed by LifeLine Mobile, the "S-miles To Go" dental van is a 42-foot-long, three-chair dental clinic built on a semi-trailer chassis. It can be moved between elementary schools in Chautauqua County. The new unit features a wheelchair lift, a panoramic X-ray unit, digital radiography, an intake/education area and electronic patient records.

The UB dental school has served the oral health care needs of children in Chautauqua County for 15 years with its school-based mobile dental van. Chautauqua County is designated a Dental Health Professional Shortage Area, with few dentists serving Medicaid-eligible patients. The UB mobile dental program visits 24 schools, averaging 3,100 patient visits each year.

The new mobile dental unit was funded in large part by a grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation and the Lenna Foundation, both of Jamestown, also made significant contributions to the project.

The Chautauqua County unveiling will feature tours of the dental van, and remarks from New York State Senator for the 57th district, Catharine Young; Michael Glick, DMD, dean and professor of the UB dental school; Linda Swanson, executive director of the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation; and mobile dental van clinic director Barbara Moore, DDS.

Press arrangements: Sara R. Saldi in the Office of University Communications, 716-645-4593, saldi@buffalo.edu; and Edward Morrison, onsite, 716-955-0393.