Are Mobile Dental Vehicles the Future of Traditional Dentistry in the USA?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 1, 2023
traditional-dentistry

The future dental professionals will be more inclined to use digitalized systems and tools for improving their everyday workflow. In the next ten years, dentistry would follow the medical imaging model in the digital world. This would be implemented not only in the developed countries but everywhere around the world. As technology is progressing rapidly, the dental fields are also going through a very big transition. The dental professionals from earlier generations would start to use digital cameras, advanced technologies, and they would have better collaboration.

In the future, dentists would not spend their time only at their fixed conventional dental offices, but they would also be in mobile dental trailers and coaches which would deliver the dental health to the patient’s door. There are different types of people who have various dental needs and also motivations, that’s why express dental care is essential. Early dental treatment is becoming the main focus with the accent of prevention of the children teeth. Because many people can’t afford to have a dental consultation or dental care or they have some kind of difficulty to reach a dental clinic, the mobile dental trailers & Coaches are a very good option for delivering dental care.

Reaching Underserved Population

Those persons who are living in the remote areas globally don’t get enough dental care. They only visit a dentist when they experience some serious dental problem. Because of all this, the model of mobile dental vans is invented and implemented in the USA. Special dental therapists are trained to serve this underserved population and at the same time educate them about all preventive dental measurements. This program is marked as excellent because regular check-ups, cleanings and filling cavities are done in order to improve the dental health of underserved populations. The focus is always prevention and education on how to brush, floss and rinse. These dentists have to explain why prevention is inevitable and also that tooth cavity could be prevented. The success of mobile dental vans model brought this to reality by confirming that dental workers could deliver their services in some other way. Depending on the dental equipment inside the mobile trailer, the dentists would perform more or less complex treatments. Digital Panoramic 2D systems, CBCT 3D systems, Implant/surgical motors with attachments can also be installed in the Mobile Dental Trailers and Vans to provide more complex dental procedures to the patients.

It is good to know that in the territory of the USA, there is a need for real and accessible dental care. This is explained by the fact that many American citizens don’t have medical or dental insurance. To overcome these challenges, the model of mobile dental trailers was implemented in this health system. Dentists on wheels could deliver dental care in the underserved regions and schools. However, there still can be gaps in this model but, government in conjunction with the nonprofit organizations are working to improve the quality of this great program.

Mobile dentistry is on its way

There is a big opportunity for all dental professionals to expand their patient’s base and at the same time they will help in improving this public problem. There are more and more patients who want to maintain constant dental care but because of some financial shortcoming or physical trauma, they can’t access the dental offices. This is one of many reasons why mobile dental clinics are created. These mobile/portable dental clinics give their dental help/service for a reduced fee or with no charge at all.

Mobile dental care includes dental services to people who are not able to travel long distances to reach a dental help care. These dental clinics can offer a complete treatment even for the complex cases.

The relation between the dental profession and the mobile dentistry clinic

Being a dentist is such a great privilege because you could help people by solving their pain which comes from their teeth. Mobile dentistry is not a big challenge for most of the dental professionals but it can be performed at any stage of the dental career. Young dentists often want to have experience in this dental sector because they are enthusiastic and want to discover new things and try new programs. Dentists who are considering a retirement would for sure choose a traditional dental office with a flexible and reduced schedule. Treating patients from underserved areas means that you have to be more patient and have more time and that’s why young dentists including graduating dental students and dentists considering retirement are also suitable for this health model.

Summary

Mobile dental clinics are representing a good model of practicing dentistry around the word and promote dental education by reaching low-income populations. In some situations, these dental professionals are using digital cameras or other equipment to reach treated patients. This is very simple because dentists by using webcams could examine the condition of the patient after a tooth removal or other dental intervention.

The global attention for dental prevention is growing and dental mobile clinics are becoming an important part of the whole medical system. All these things are important in order to deliver better lifestyle habits and grow better generations.

Share Button

Medical Trailer as a “Hospital on Wheels” Providing Surgical Services to Army and Military Officers

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 1, 2023
medical-trailer-2

Military and army doctrine support an important health services help system to evacuate, triage, treating, and returning soldiers on duty in a short period of time and in the most efficient manner. This process begins with the soldier presence on a specific battlefield and most of the time ends in different medical centers and hospitals with numerous locations. The supervision starts with first-aid which sometimes may be self-aid, friend-aid, or another lifesaver rapidly continues with emergency medical treatment and later with advanced trauma-management in order to stabilize surgery procedures. All these medical actions are followed by special medical transport to a high level where the most sophisticated procedures are handled.

There are many manufacturers on the market which design and create special-purpose surgical mobile medical trailers for military and army applications. These representative mobile units and containers are specifically designed and involve:

  • Mobile MRI, Mobile CT, Mobile PET for military and army applications. These medical units represent a complex mobile trailer which is equipped with advanced and highly-sophisticated medical gear such as CT, PET, MRI, x-ray screening in order to match the standards.
  • Mobile Disaster and Surgical Trauma
  • Mobile Emergency
  • Mobile Health Clinics
  • Mobile Blood Collection, Donation, and Laboratories for military and army needs. These are multi-phasic medical units made with expandable walls which could be used for many situations. This type of mobile trailers is perfectly created with the special needs of donors. The construction is made of aluminum “C” channel with eighty-gauge thickness. It provides strength and durability for a long period of time. With its special-designed cabinetry and multi-louvered ceilings, it guarantees comfortable environment for pleasant work.

The simple design of mobile surgical trailers used for rapid deployment

Mobile vans or hospitals on wheels could be designed as a semi-trailer, two or four-wheel configurations for a drive, or towed. They are specially manufactured to arrange on-site surgical procedures for the army, military, and civilian needs.

These mobile medical vans include pre & post operative parts, stations for nurses, handicapped and accessible bathroom, spacious operating areas and also changing areas. They are also equipped with heating systems, good ventilation, air-conditioning, fire suppression, power lighting, and communications systems. Another important thing which has to be considered is that mobile medical trailers contain medical gas or vacuum and plumbing. The surfaces are designed so they can be easily cleaned and maintained. The most important thing is that they are easy to set-up and this action is very fast so the medical workers won’t have to spend much time on constructing it.

Well-trained and educated medical stuff are essential part from these units

These great doctors which are a part of the Defense force provide high-level health care in specific and unique conditions. Their great experience let them develop impressive military and clinical skills. The main point of medical persons is practicing general medicine and preventing serious medical problems. This involves the implementation of specific programs for vaccination, screening, and occupational health.

Medical professionals which are a part from these hospitals on wheels are trained to handle a different kind of weapons. They have also outdoor and adventure training.
Medical officers who have a job on deployment are very responsive because they are the primary health care physician. They have additional skills besides the mentioned above and they have knowledge also in travel medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, and in emergency trauma. These persons have leadership skills so they can be the manager of small medical teams consisted of a senior medic, nursing officers, and some other patrol medics. Another thing which is very important is that medical officers play a big role in the evacuation process especially when the patients are referred to surgeons or another specialist opinion.

An overview

Mobile medical trailers are designed as an alternative to random hospitals which are used during the war operations. They are manufactured to bring the experienced medical personnel close to the front barriers. By this initiative, medical officers would help wounded people receive help sooner and accomplish their job with great success.

According to recent statistics, a soldier which is seriously wounded and who was transported to this kind of medical unit alive has greater chances even to 97% on survival after he receives some kind of medical treatment.

Mobile medical and surgical vans have an essential role in the triage system. This system helps health care providers to give special priority to wounded patients. It is good to know that triage system has a color-coding technique. Depending on the wound degree, the patient is marked with a yellow, green, red, or black tag.

If the person is marked with the red tag it means that he needs medical treatment immediately so he can survive. When the person is tagged with yellow, it means that he is not in danger but he still needs medical care. A green sign means that the person is wounded but he is not disabled. These patients are classified as “walking wounded”. The black tag means that the person is dead or so hard wounded that the hope for survival is almost gone.

However, these projects are well supported and they are a great idea when it comes to providing help for the people that need it the most.

Share Button

Why a Dentist would buy a Panoramic System?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 1, 2023
panoramic-system

There are several opinions about why a Dentist would buy a Panoramic X-Ray System.

  • Actual price of a Digital Pan (For example $19,995.00) is not the true cost for Dentists as they are entitled to tax breaks and/or expense it as a capital expenditure depending on their tax brackets. The actual cost will be much less than $19,995.00. The cost table attachment from the “Dental Economics” shows the calculations. Click for the Table.
  • Dentists may charge on the average $62.00 per each pan x-ray to patient or insurance company.
  • There is a general rule of thumb that a Panoramic Machine pay for themselves within 6 months.
  • The financial picture for dentists also includes the extra revenue from additional procedures they will do as a result of diagnostics made available from the panoramic X-Rays. Extra revenue associated With the panoramic X-Ray diagnosis is estimated at 5% of their revenue.
  • When you add all these up the net result may be the cost of the pan will be paid up within 6 months plus additional revenue for the Dentist in the future.

It is noteworthy that the digital panoramic X-Ray machine, Digital imaging sensors #1 & #2 and the portable handheld intraoral X-Ray equipment save cost by reducing time spent by Dentist, assistants and hygienists. Efficiency and the stature of the dental practice increases along with the patient confidence and satisfaction.

Click Here For Dental Trailer Floor Plan (With Digital Panoramic system)

Share Button

Mobile Dental Clinic Programs and Dental Education

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 1, 2023
mobile-dental-clinic-programs

The Mobile Dental Van method of dental care is probably more prevalent in developing countries due to economic, social, and geographical factors. The dental colleges should require dental students to learn about the outreach programs to help them understand that good dentistry can also be practiced with Mobile Dental Vans. The refurbished Mobile Dental Vans look like new and cost substantially less than the custom built new vans.

Dental Health care fundamentals are closely associated with professional dental education. Rural areas account for three in every four people living in poverty on less than US$1.00 a day. However, urban slum growth is out pacing urban growth by wide margins. Mobile Dental Van Programs can facilitate promoting dental education to the dental health shortage communities in the impoverished areas globally. The impoverished areas are split up between the rural areas and the urban slums requiring dental education, dental hygiene, oral diagnosis, sealants, preventive procedures and future follow up services.

South Texas (USA) has an unacceptable population to dentist ratio of less than 5000:1. World Health Organization (WHO) data reports that 75 countries had a population to dentist ratio of 10,000:1. The role of Mobile Dental Van Program stems from such statistics of population to dentist ratios. The Mobile Dental Program provides free or low cost urgent dental care services to patients who lack dental insurance or any realistic way to pay for dental care treatment. The primary obstacles to receiving dental care are cost, accessible location, and socio-economic challenges. The use of outreach vehicles, ranging from custom built clinic on wheels (Dental Coaches/Trailers) are also used by some countries to provide a variety of dental and medical health services to people without stable housing. Our organization has even designed custom homes by modifying a 20′, 40′ or 45′ transportable shipping containers to offer homeless stable housing. We can also provide Trailers which are also a venue to practice Dentistry. Besides Mobile Coaches semi-type trailers, and modular building are also great venues for primary care, mammography, nuclear imaging, bone dentistry, CT as well as psychology, office, command centers, class rooms and other applications anywhere your imagination may take you. The use of the mobile clinic can reduce financial, geographic and psychological barriers to dental health care for population residing in rural and urban slum areas.

The complex nature of running mobile dental van program requires support from community leaders, volunteers, government entities, financial entities, dental colleges, and graduating dental students to name a few.

The private fix dental clinics require a dentist owner and a staff that include dental assistants, a hygienist, and an office manager. The cost of such a fixed dental clinic can vary from US$200,000.00 in the U.S. or more. This type of organization can be simple compared with the complexity of a Mobile Dental Van Program. The cost of a Mobile Van with 2 chairs can be US$400,000 dollars or more for a custom built new van. But a Refurbished Mobile Dental Coach equipped with dental equipment cost will be substantially less. The refurbished dental coach looks like new.

Finally, the continuity of the Mobile Dental Van Program may depend on continuous financial support, community engagement and ongoing follow up patient services. There are many providers who use mini vans equipped with portable dental equipment because this is probably the least economical setup. They may provide the basic services like oral education, diagnostics and sealants and get paid from government programs like Medicaid. But the Medicaid may not cover a subsequent treatment for the same patient if it becomes necessary. Many dentists are reluctant to serve patients as Medicaid payments are deemed insufficient. This could make it difficult for some Medicaid patients to receive ongoing service.

Contact us at kbconsultants1958@gmail.com or 586-917-0245 for inquiries or information.

Share Button