Our Mission
The mission of Apple Tree Dental is to improve oral health in the lives of people with special access needs who face barriers to care.
Our Vision
We believe that an individual's health is a basic human right, and needless suffering should be eliminated. We envision a future without barriers, where all vulnerable people, from the very young to the very old, are able to obtain the oral healthcare they need.
Our Values
The Board and Staff of Apple Tree Dental pledge to:
- Demonstrate commitment to Apple Tree's mission and vision
- Take pride in our work, striving for excellence in everything we do
- Develop innovative solutions that improve the oral healthcare system
- Be trusted partners and build collaborations with community stakeholders and policy makers
- Treat all people with respect, regardless of age, race, disability, or financial status
- Convey compassion, kindness, and understanding to patients and their caregivers
- Be good stewards of all our resources
Who is Apple Tree Dental?
Apple Tree is a nonprofit dental organization dedicated to bringing dental care to people who otherwise would be without.
More than 600,000 Minnesotans are not able to get the dental care they need. That's enough people to fill 10 Metrodomes!
Many people don't have the choice of going to the dentist. This is a choice that is often taken for granted, but for nursing home residents, people with disabilities, low-income families, and others, dental care is often beyond reach. Barriers are financial, physical and/or cultural.
Apple Tree's nonprofit status and mobile delivery programs work to overcome these problems because we bring care directly to people who need it most.
With support from individual donors, foundation grants, and corporate sponsors, Apple Tree can relieve the suffering and improve the lives of people who have barriers to obtaining the dental care they need.
Isn't dental care optional? What does it have to do with health?
If your mouth isn't healthy, you are not healthy. Pain and suffering due to dental problems can lead to problems with eating, speaking, thinking, and learning. Studies have shown a link between gum diseases and diabetes, heart and lung diseases, stroke, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. For poor Minnesotans, dental access is one of the three top health care needs. Like many other states, Minnesota has a shortage of dentists, and a growing dental access crisis.
How does Apple Tree provide mobile care? Do they use an RV?
No! We have found that RV-style dental offices often cramped and inaccessible for patients with mobility problems or who use wheelchairs. The Apple Tree Mobile Dental Offices are rolled inside a facility such as a nursing home, Head Start center, school or group home and can be set up within minutes. These full-scale dental offices offer all the modern amenities as the traditional dental office, but in a convenient place that is comfortable and familiar to the patient.