Sarrell has also been willing to experiment with new systems for getting the best dentists in front of the neediest patients. Take scheduling. Dentists aren’t assigned to a specific clinic. Instead, they rotate among several offices. In part, this is a clever end run around the state’s challenging geography. According to Sarrell’s chief dental officer, Dr. Stephen Wallace, more than 90 percent of Alabama’s dentists live in the Birmingham area. Driving for 80 minutes each way to Leesburg or more than 90 minutes to Selma every day might not be sustainable, but once or twice a month isn’t so bad.