I have been practicing dental mobile assisting for almost two decades. One of the most common questions that new dental practitioners ask me is how dental mobile assisting works.
If you, too, are curious about mobile dentistry, today is your lucky day. I’ll share with you all the knowledge that I’ve gathered so far. Let’s dive in!
What is Dental Mobile Assisting?
A mobile dental practitioner offers dental services, in a mobile office, to patients who cannot make it to a fixed facility.
The practitioner can use a trailer or large van to establish a mobile dental clinic. The dental practitioner can also visit clinics with the capacity to support dental services, but no permanent dentist on staff.
Patients see a mobile dentist for a variety of reasons, including teeth cleaning, fillings, and examinations. Seeing a mobile dental practitioner saves the patient time, money, and stress.
For more advanced dental surgery, such as wisdom tooth extraction and implants, it may be necessary for the patient to visit a dental clinic.
Types of Mobile Dentistry
Professionals can practice different types of mobile dentistry. I offer mobile dental consulting services to practitioners interested in non-profit mobile dentistry, home visits, school-based, long-term care, corporate-based, and mobile dental whitening.
Dental practitioners specializing in school mobile dentistry visit schools and see students for free or at a low cost. This can provide a large low-income patient base that might otherwise be difficult to access.
Disabled Patients and Seniors
Disabled patients and seniors can benefit from the services of a mobile dentist. These groups of people may have difficulty entering a clinic, while a mobile trailer may be accessible.
In addition, dental practitioners can personally visit long-term care facilities or homes. This is how I started my career. I used to bring my dental supplies to nursing homes to help clean the mouths of seniors. Read about my experiences in my new book , The Tooth and Nothing but the Truth.
Other mobile dentistry practitioners set up their vans in a central location for patients to come and see them. This can provide more regular access to dental services than what would be available during clinic visits, especially in remote areas.
Corporate Clients
At the other end of the scale, some mobile dental practitioners work with high net worth clients who want to receive dental services at the convenience of their offices.
The professionals typically park their dental van at a business for staff who need dental treatment but don’t have time to visit a clinic.
The practitioner can offer patients teeth whitening and other cosmetic procedures in addition to basic care.
In some cases, employers may sponsor the visit as part of employee benefits, through an agreement with the insurance company that covers staff dental care.
Mobile Dental Consulting
Working in mobile environments requires making sure the van is fully stocked with supplies and equipment. You will also need to train your staff to work in spaces that can be cramped due to limited space.
When patients visit you, you may need to collect quick histories at each visit to get the big picture, as well as use electronic medical records to increase the chances of being able to retrieve older patient records from other dental practitioners.
This is important because the patients may not have an established relationship with the practice. For more advice on setting up your mobile dentist practice, schedule a consultation with Sonya Dunbar.
I will not only offer you advice, but I will also offer a successful tool kit that will help you set up your business.