By David Blende, DDS
Dr. David Blende is founder of House Call Dentists, which provides at-home dental services to patients in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area who value high quality care in the privacy and comfort of their homes. http://www.housecalldentists.com/
JUNE 26, 2014 - When people hear about house call dentistry for the first time, their first reaction is usually, “Wow, that’s great! A lot of people must need that!” Then a pause, followed by “How much does that cost?”
It may come as a surprise to learn that having a dentist visit a homebound patient is not only less hassle, but also less expensive than bringing the patient to the dentist.
While the goal of quality in-home treatment is the same with both concierge medicine and concierge dentistry, the dentistry model is different from the concierge medicine model. Our concierge model works on a per-visit basis: as an example, a typical scenario for taking a patient who resides in a nursing facility and requires wheelchair transport to the dental office includes $630 for travel fees alone (Nurse time three hours x $90/hour = $270, wheelchair van rental = $160, Adult Child to participate in consultation one hour x 200/hour = $200).
The travel fees for a house call dentist are less than half this amount, averaging $250 – $300.
There is another “cost” that many people fail to consider, which is the anxiety of the patient. Many patients become highly agitated when they are removed from the comfort of their home, and others face great discomfort when they are transported. These circumstances often result in a lack of cooperation while in the dentist’s office, necessitating a future appointment to “try again.”
On the other hand, a patient who remains at his or her home is usually cooperative with an experienced house call team, and benefits from no disruption of familiar routines.
A final “cost” to consider is to the overall health of the patient. Postponing dental care can lead to unnecessary dental deterioration and emergency situations that cost far more than preventative measures.
Furthermore, many people do not recognize the connection between dental health and overall health. Chronic inflammation that results from dental decay and periodontal disease can contribute to an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and respiratory diseases.
Homebound people who have not received dental care for many years are also likely to suffer medication-induced xerostomia, pain and even malnutrition.
As is the case with concierge medicine, from the vantage point of being in someone’s home, house call dentists can learn many things about the way the household and the patient’s condition(s) work to support or challenge the patient’s medical/dental health. This ability to resolve acute dental health needs and to develop a targeted daily care routine is essential to the overall long-term success of the treatment plan.
Dr. David Blende is founder of House Call Dentists, which provides at-home dental services to patients in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area who value high quality care in the privacy and comfort of their homes. http://www.housecalldentists.com/
