SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOGMobile Dental Vans and Volunteers Make A Difference
Mobile Dental Vans (MDV) and Trailers, a method of providing dental service has been building a momentum as an alternative to fixed dental clinics. MDV were primarily used to serve hard to reach geographical areas in the rural or poverished communities. But in the recent past, the MDV are increasingly utilized even in the major metropolis like Mumbai in India, San Francisco, Chicago, and various other cities around the world. A cadre of dentists, hygienists, graduating dental students, dental assistants, local communities, hospitals, volunteers, government entities, financial planners and social workers can contribute towards the successful Mobile Dental Van programs.
It is well established that mobile Dental Vans can help reach the underserved and also be cost competitive for the providers and patients. The Mobile Dental Clinics can reach more people in a vast geographical area compared with fixed dental clinics. Government entities, dental colleges and even private dental professionals can utilize the Mobile Dental Coaches or Trailers to serve the underserved or rural areas at an affordable cost.
MDV can overcome Cultural barriers to dental care, lack of transportation facility and lack of physical strength to reach fixed clinic School based dental diagnostic services can be very effective for children located in underserved rural geographical areas hard to reach. Populated countries like India and China can benefit by offering basic dental preventive services to their population located in rural and major metropolis. The goal of these countries can be to maintain physical health of their population by focusing on basic dental treatment as dental health contributes to better medical health of their citizens. It is interesting to note that a team of dentists based in Chicago, is in the process of acquiring a Mobile Dental Van to provide dental services to patients in the south side of Chicago. This team of dentists has come to the conclusion that Moible Dental Vans are a better option to their fixed dental clinics in this underserved area of the major metropolis Chicago.
The elderly, homeless, low income families, and hard to reach populations can be ideally served by a Mobile Dental Van and the providers from the government institutions, dental colleges, non profitable and private dental professionals.
In India primary health care services in the rural areas are provided with Mobile Medical Units. Preventive dental services are generally cost effective with the Mobile Dental Van. Other dental services such as restorative and more complex procedures may be done at the fixed dental clinics.
Volunteers and senior students from dental colleges are the best options to set up a non profit Mobile Dental Clinic service or a low cost dental service for patients. Some dental professionals may be receptive to donate their time to help provide dental service for the MDV program. Community volunteers can be a good source to help with business issues, clerical, marketing and even occasionally assisting dentists in crutch situations.
Generally, it is best to select a few communities to serve and provide dental services including basic medical help, oral/medical counselling and education. Each community will have elderly patients who can also volunteer for the success of the program. Volunteers can be very useful in planning health care objectives for the Elderly, school aged children, nursing homes, under served population, new immigrats and more. These objectives will determine the need for oral/medical education, the type of dental/medical services needed and subsequent maintenance. Volunteer financial planners can keep the entire operation viable for long term services and tweak the process as necessary for efficient ongoing operation.
Contact us at kbconsultants1958@gmail.com for help or Price Quotation including a CAD Drawings, Pictures & Terms for Mobile Dental Coach and Trailers.586-917-0245.
