Mobile Dentistry For Those Who Can't Get To The Dentist

By Victor O. Falaiye, DMD

The Dentist Office, PC

. https://www.facebook.com/The-Dentist-Office-PC-1390677034593824/

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Mobile Dentistry For Those Who Can't Get To The Dentist

Are you unable to easily drive to your dentist office? Do you have limited mobility or limited access to transportation due to injury, age, disability, or other factors? If you (or a loved one) have answered “yes” to these questions, then read on.

First of all, it's important to know you're not alone. Access to care is a major problem facing dentistry today. Many recall when the U.S. Surgeon General gave a failing grade to the level of dental disease in this country, and reported that the number one reason children visit the school nurse is for dental pain. The complete set of factors that inhibit access to care are far too complex to discuss here, but two of the major barriers to receiving dental care for many are transportation and logistics.

In the traditional model, a patient makes an appointment, travels to the office, receives treatment, and returns home. For this to be effective, a patient must not only be able to travel to the dental office, but the appointment must be scheduled at a time and place that meets the patient's needs.

Enter the mobile dental clinic. The dentist and staff can arrive at a location where the patients are, such as home, school, community center, or elder care facility. The patients are treated on site with minimal interruption of their day or without the complex logistical issues surrounding transportation of the elderly and disabled. More patients can receive care who might otherwise go without.

How important is my oral health?

Research has demonstrated the adverse effects of poor oral health. Short-term consequences include pain and discomfort, which can lead to disruptions of daily life. Long?term consequences include infection and the need for costly procedures like tooth extractions and/or restorative treatments for dental problems that could have been more easily and inexpensively treated if detected earlier.

Research also shows that oral health problems are associated with a variety of health problems including diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and bacterial pneumonia. Left untreated, dental disease or medical conditions resulting from dental disease can lead to death.

If you're unable to get to the dentist office, don't let this prevent you from getting the dental care you need. Find a local dentist who offers mobile dentistry and schedule a time to have him/her visit you.