This story is part of a series on the challenges and solutions related to oral health in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. It is made possible with funding support from the Delta Dental Foundation.
In Michigan’s largest school district, where more than 50,000 students attend class each day, an innovative program to make it easy to access health care is placing a new emphasis on oral health.
Detroit Public Schools Community District’s (DPSCD) Health Hubs initiative is breaking barriers to medical, behavioral, and dental care by embedding health providers directly inside schools to provide services that students might not otherwise receive.
The model is already helping students stay healthy, present, and ready to learn. Students who once missed school due to tooth pain are now getting fillings and checkups during the school day. Parents who once skipped medical appointments because of transportation or cost are now finding community-based support steps from their child’s classroom.
“This is about meeting families where they are,” says Craig DeLeon, administrator of the district’s Health Hubs initiative. “Our students can’t focus on math or reading when they’re dealing with a toothache or can’t see the board. The hubs ensure they get the care they need, right where they learn.”
The Health Hubs are part of DPSCD’s broader effort to address what its leaders call “whole-child wellness.” The district’s school board adopted the Whole Child Commitment in 2017, pledging to focus not only on academics but also on the physical, emotional, and social needs of every student.
The Health Hub model builds on that commitment by placing essential services in schools. Each hub includes four key components:
- A certified community health worker, called a navigator, who connects families to resources.
- A family resource distribution center that provides shelf-stable food and household items.
- A school-based health center offering physical and behavioral health care.
- A school nurse who serves as an on-site medical touchpoint.
Once all 12 hubs are open, every DPSCD student will live within three miles of one. Ten are already operating, serving neighborhoods from the east side to the northwest corridor.
“The goal is simple,” DeLeon says. “When a family needs something such as health care, food, or even housing help, they don’t have to guess where to go. They just know to go to the Health Hub.”
Filling the gap in oral care
Among the many services the hubs provide, oral health quickly emerged as one of the most urgent needs. Studies have shown that untreated dental issues are a leading cause of absenteeism nationwide, and in Detroit, the numbers tell the same story.
After district leaders reviewed data from school nurses and partner providers, they found thousands of students had cavities or infections that hadn’t been treated. That insight prompted a new partnership with the Delta Dental Foundation, which joined the Health Hubs’ effort to strengthen dental programming.
Laura Wright, the district’s longtime oral health coordinator, says the change has been transformational.
“Starting around sixth grade, we see a big drop in the number of students going to the dentist,” Wright says. “There are so many barriers: transportation, costs, and parents working multiple jobs. But now, with the Health Hubs, we can reach them directly where they are.”
Wright, who previously worked at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, oversees six oral health provider partners who rotate among district schools. She also trains school nurses and staff on dental hygiene education, ensuring that oral health becomes part of every child’s school experience.
Last year, DPSCD’s dental providers completed more than 4,000 fillings across 92 schools.
The progress isn’t just measured in numbers.
Wright remembers one high school student who needed extensive dental care, including six tooth extractions and multiple fillings. The school’s dental team began treatment, but couldn’t finish everything in one visit. Through the Health Hub network, staff arranged for the student to complete the work at Wayne County Community College District’s Dental Day, a free community clinic.
“That child is all set now,” Wright says. “They’ll be followed every six months by our navigator to make sure they stay on track. That’s what the hubs make possible. It’s a true continuity of care.”
The district, which once struggled to reach even a fraction of its high school students, has achieved a significant turnaround.
“We finally have high-schoolers coming in for care again,” Wright says. “At one school, we saw 126 students in a single year. That may not sound like much, but considering where we started, it’s a huge success.”
Broad partnership
The Health Hubs’ success stems from collaboration across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services was among the first partners, providing guidance and data to identify where services were needed most.
But philanthropic support has helped the program expand. The Delta Dental Foundation, a relatively new partner, plays a key role in funding and raising awareness about the district’s oral health efforts.
“The Delta Dental Foundation came in as a new funder,” says Whitney Griffin, director of donor relations for the DPSCD Foundation. “They weren’t part of the original Health Hub work, but they saw the impact and wanted to amplify it. Their support helps us reach more students and sustain the progress we’ve made.”
Through Delta Dental Foundation’s backing, the district has been able to fund dental education programs, distribute hygiene kits, and even provide transportation for students who need off-site appointments.
“We can now transport students who miss a visit at their own school to a nearby hub and then bring them back,” DeLeon says. “That kind of coordination just wasn’t possible before.”
Griffin adds that the foundation’s involvement is also helping attract new donors and partners. “For us to grow and scale, we need funders who believe in this vision,” she says. “It’s not just about fixing teeth. It’s about removing barriers to learning.”
The Health Hub initiative emphasizes education about personal health. Wright and her team lead classroom workshops, showing students how daily hygiene contributes to long-term wellness.
The approach emphasizes prevention by teaching students to brush, floss, and understand why oral health matters.
“Kids are starting to realize that dental care isn’t optional,” Wright says. “When their mouth is healthy, they can focus better, smile more, and feel confident.”
Wright has seen how access to dental care can shape a student’s future. She recalls a moment from early in her career that continues to inspire her.
“When I first came to the district, one of our general counsels told me she didn’t have a dentist growing up,” Wright says. “She got her first dental care through DPS (while a student), and because of that experience, she still goes every six months. That’s the kind of long-term impact we’re creating.”
Reaching all students
Representation is also a key focus. Wright says she’s working to recruit more dental providers of color to serve DPSCD’s diverse student body.
“We want students to see someone who looks like them standing by that chair,” she says. “It builds trust and helps them feel comfortable about care.”
The district also is exploring ways to expand specialized services for students with disabilities, a group Wright says is especially underserved. Her dental providers are preparing to travel to Pennsylvania for advanced training to better serve students with special needs. That training is sponsored by Delta Dental.
“The district can’t turn anyone away,” Wright says. “We have several schools with students who require specialized dental care, and we’re making sure they get it.”
The Health Hubs team believes its model could be a blueprint for other large school districts nationwide. By addressing barriers at the neighborhood level and connecting schools with public health goals, Detroit is redefining what education-based care can look like.
“The hubs are the centerpiece,” DeLeon says. “They connect everything, including students, parents, providers, and partners. When you put it all together, you get a stronger, healthier community.”
For the people behind the effort, their motivation is to make an impact on young lives.
“We all love what we’re doing,” Wright says. “It’s a journey, and we’re seeing real change – one student, one smile at a time.”
For more information on DPSCD Health Hubs visit https://www.detroitk12.org/Page/18690 or contact Craig DeLeon directly at craig.deleon@detroitk12.org. If you are interested in partnering with DPSCD Health Hubs, email dpscd.partnerships@detroitk12.org.
If you are interested in funding the DPSCD Health Hubs, please email Kerrie Mitchell Campbell-Mabins at kmitchell@dpscdfoundation.org.
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