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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - Maryland officials are getting a mobile dental office to serve needy children in Prince George's County.

The van will be named the Deamonte Driver Dental Project, after a 12-year-old county resident who lacked access to dental care and died last year from a tooth infection that spread to his brain.

"Over the next three years, we will be increasing reimbursement funding for dentists who are treating medicaid patients, by $40 million," said Md. Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Maryland's secretary of health and mental hygiene, John Colmers, says the van will visit local schools and publicize the need for children to receive dental care.

Even during tough times in the state, O'Malley says the issue can not be ignored. He plans to dedicate $14 million in next year's budget to raise reimbursement rates for dentists treating Medicaid children. "The reimbursement rate that dentists to provide sealants would increase from $9 to $33, something that we believe would lead to more dentists being able to participate and being able to serve more of our people," said O'Malley.

Family members of Driver gave the initiative their blessing, "I'm hoping this project would help other people. That's all," said Driver's uncle. Driver's mother, Elyse, announced plans to also help her community by going into the dental field.

The state gave the county $288,000 to buy the van.

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