A nonprofit learning health system using Community Collaborative Practice to reach underserved populations for 40+ years.

Model Description

Apple Tree uses a model called “Community Collaborative Practice” to build locally tailored programs that overcome barriers to oral health. By engaging communities in program design, funding and implementation, Apple Tree has created and sustained programs in urban and rural areas for decades.

Target Populations

Apple Tree has developed a problem solving model that has been applied to a variety of underserved target populations. Initially, the long-term care population was targeted, and mobile delivery systems and new workforce models were developed that integrated oral health services into long-term care settings. Later, hub and spoke models were created to reach remote rural communities and serve patients of all ages and abilities. Programs targeting migrant workers, people with mental illness and chemical dependency, recent immigrants, children and adults with special needs have been designed and implemented.

The Problem it Was Designed to Solve

Apple Tree recognized that there is not an “oral health delivery system” that identifies and addresses unmet oral health needs. Apple Tree builds oral health delivery systems using a learning health system that develops, tests and then scales programs in collaboration with other health, education and social services systems.

Current Status

Apple Tree has operated for more that 40 years, with programs across Minnesota. It has also helped establish independent programs in other states including North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, California and Massachusetts. Since its founding, Apple Tree’s programs in Minnesota have treated more than 200,000 patients, delivered more than 1.8 Million dental visits and provided oral health services valued at more than $500 Million. In addition, Apple Tree has created extensive education, research and policy collaborations at state and national levels.

Key Outcomes and Evidence

Apple Tree’s accomplishments include creating sustainable oral health delivery systems in urban and rural settings. Centers for Dental Health are the hubs that support formal year-round on-site care programs with more than 100 health, education, and social services organizations. We’ve pioneered the use of teledentistry and mobile delivery systems, medical-dental integration programs within rural hospitals, and special care dentistry programs serving children, adults and older adults.