Most nursing home dental services have to outsource a dentist for their residents, just like they outsource a doctor. But outsourcing a dentist is not always easy. A dentist uses a lot of equipment and this is not equipment that is readily or easily mobile. A patient needs to be in a dental chair, the lighting has to be excellent, mirrors are necessary so the dentist can see all parts of the patient’s mouth, A dentist needs running water, they need a basin for their patient to ‘spit into’ and they need all kinds of dental equipment. So how does a nursing home outsource dental services? Well, they call in a mobile dentist, one whose practice is well set up in a mobile van.
Dental vans
The idea of mobile dental care is not new, and mobile dental vans have been going out to rural areas or areas where there is no dental care close by, for decades. Mobile dental vans have also been servicing special needs facilities, offering dental care to those people who cannot easily reach dental care. Mobile dental care is offered in many states at nursing homes.
Residents of care homes find doctor and dental visits stressful but of course they do need to look after their health. And older people get more frail as time goes along, meaning health and dental care becomes ever more important. They do not find it easy getting to health care practitioner or dentist, which is why the health care practitioner or dentist will come to them. The nursing home or special care facility will make the arrangements or the caregivers or family of the resident can make the arrangements.
Mobile dental care may be covered by health insurance policies and any nursing home dental services must be supplied and serviced by the dental professionals.