By Davion Scott- Bell OMAHA, Neb.- For many people, getting to the orthodontist isn’t as simple as it sounds. Whether it’s not having a vehicle, balancing school and work, or living with mobility challenges, traditional dental care can be hard to access. Smile on the Run, an Omaha-based mobile orthodontic service, is working to change that.
The company specializes in Invisalign treatment for both teens and adults, but what makes it unique is how and where it delivers care. Using a custom-built mobile van, Smile on the Run travels directly to patients’ workplaces, schools, and even homes, offering a more flexible and inclusive approach to orthodontic treatment.
Meeting patients where they are
Operations Manager Sam Pickering said the goal is simple: make orthodontic care convenient and accessible.
“Orthodontics traditionally can be a little time-consuming for patients,” Pickering said. “There’s a lot of different appointments that are involved — having to go in every few weeks to get your braces adjusted. The idea behind Smile on The Run is that we come out to patients’ places of employment, homes, and sometimes schools. We just bring the treatment to you.”
The mobile approach allows Smile on the Run to serve patients in smaller or rural communities that may not have orthodontic offices nearby. “We go to places like Shenandoah, Iowa, and other small towns that don’t necessarily have orthodontics readily available,” Pickering said. “That alone kind of puts us in a different area of treatment.”
Convenience for every lifestyle
For people with busy work or class schedules, Smile on the Run also integrates technology to save time. Each patient receives all their Invisalign trays up front, with virtual check-ins replacing most in-person appointments.
“The check-ins we do are all virtual,” Pickering said. “We use an app through Invisalign so we can monitor your progress. Patients just submit photos to us every week, and we track how everything is moving. It’s not like we never talk to you again — we’re still with you every step of the way.”
This model helps those who might otherwise skip treatment because of transportation issues or time constraints. It also reduces stress for parents and caregivers juggling multiple commitments. “I remember when I had braces, my mom had to take me countless times to go see the orthodontist every two or three weeks,” Pickering said. “Now, with Invisalign and the technology we use, you don’t have to do that anymore.”
Expanding access and impact
Smile on the Run’s approach could make orthodontic care more attainable for groups that have historically been underserved people without reliable transportation, those with mobility issues, and students or professionals who can’t fit frequent office visits into their schedules.
By combining mobile care with remote monitoring, the company hopes to eliminate some of the barriers that keep people from seeking treatment in the first place.
“We think it adds a lot of value,” Pickering said. “Being able to go see people, give them all their trays up front, and check in virtually makes it really convenient and opens doors for patients who might not have been able to start treatment otherwise.”
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