Becoming a mobile dentist can be rewarding if you do it right. It is a great way of turning your vision into a reality. If you realize that a lot of your patients want your services but they cannot come to you, you take the services to them. Mobile healthcare business models are a logical and smart approach to tackling various health disparities. Social determinants of health such as social economic and geographic barriers to medical access can exacerbate the risk of the disease plaguing certain people and pose a big public health concern. This can lead to sicker people with a poor quality of life and a country with increased healthcare costs.
If you are a medical professional, it is great to figure out how you can reach these people. While this comes with a big challenge, it is doable. With the best approach, you could turn to mobile dentistry as the best solution. Mobile dentistry has the benefit of flexibility. You will be able to bridge the access barrier by bringing targeted care to the communities that need it and adapting to their changing needs using the existing community assets.
The increase in mobile health clinics has shifted the focus on these demographics to preventative care from symptomatic care. This is a norm that some people consider a luxury. Once you have been inspired and realize the potential mobile services have for positive change, it is time to put your wheels in motion and come up with a plan to start your mobile dental care clinic.
Establish a need
The first step in launching a mobile clinic is to identify a need in a certain population and measurable objectives. Establishing a need will guide the actions you take to achieve your goals and provide measurable indicators of success.
You should do a community needs assessment to determine the gaps between what people lack and the existing services. Make sure you narrow down your scope of services. Unfortunately, the needs are always greater than your capacity to provide services and you need to respect your parameters. You should determine whether you will focus on one-time visits or screenings. It is crucial to be realistic about the effects of your efforts.
It is important to bear in mind that the scope of service you determine affects equipment needs and funding so it is best to consider what is realistic for your dental practice within the constraints of your mobile clinic. Can you justify the resources, costs, and equipment needed and the time spent on one surgery and follow-up care?
In addition to your research on deficiencies in your target demographic and dental health disparities, it is important to do a focus group with essential members of the community to incorporate some first hand-perspectives.
Determine your delivery strategy
Before you launch your career as a mobile dentist, it is crucial to evaluate options for the area where you want to treat your patients and how you will deliver services. You will require the right equipment and location.
