Running a mobile dental clinic comes with challenges just like any other type of business. Mobile dentistry is a subject that a lot of people are talking about. This is due to the increased number of portable and mobile dental operations that provide services to underserved populations.

Why would anyone start a mobile clinic?

Access to dental care is a major problem facing dentistry. A patient makes an appointment in a traditional model. He or she then travels to the office and receives treatment. They then return home. This means that the patient must be able to travel to the clinic to receive services. The appointment should also be scheduled at a place and time that meets the needs of the patient.

This is different from mobile dental care. The dentist and staff arrive at a facility where the patient is located such as a community center, school, elder care facility or even a manufacturing facility. The patient will be treated on-site with only minimal interruptions of their schedule. This means that more patients can be cared for than a traditional clinic.

Design features of a mobile clinic

Mobile clinics come in numerous designs, sizes and costs. The dental clinic is designed for effectiveness and economy. It should have at least two treatment rooms with X-ray machines in each, a staff restroom, central suction and compressed air system and a panorex.

It should be self-supported and self-contained with enough generator capacity to power the facility. It should also have wastewater storage and fresh air.

A mobile dental clinic should have adequate air conditioners and heaters for the climate where it’ll be used. It should have enough lighting, automatic leveling jacks and an underfloor wheelchair lift. A small patient intake can also be included but it will add unnecessary costs.