Mobile dental vans: planning considerations and productivity.
OBJECTIVE
Many children, especially those from lower socio-economic families, have limited access to dental care, transportation problems and poor appointment attendance. Mobile dental clinics have been implemented in many communities to address these issues.


METHODS
Structured surveys were sent to the three mobile programs in Connecticut to collect information on the age of the program, issues encountered in planning and implementation, and ongoing costs and productivity.


RESULTS
Each mobile clinic had two operatories and operated 140-200 days per year. Programs provided 2921-3417 diagnostic and preventive procedures and 359-721 treatment procedures per year for an average daily production of 18-24 procedures. All programs required external funding to remain financially solvent.


CONCLUSIONS
Implementation and management of these programs is complicated. However, they provide an innovative solution to bringing dental care to underserved children and when operated in conjunction with schools can eliminate transportation problems and missed appointments.
Douglass
Joanna M
JM
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-1610, USA. douglass@nso.uchc.edu
D002648:Child; D003237:Connecticut; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000078329:Workforce