FAQ's
Why is dental care so important?
Oral health is the highest correlation to overall health! Dental care is important for everyone, and especially important for those with health complications. High quality dental care ensures that an untreated infection from the mouth does not impact the rest of the patient's body. Also, helping a patient keep their oral health intact will be contributing to the patient's ability to feel comfortable in social settings, and ultimately, their quality of life.
Does the dental work happen in a Winnebago, RV or trailer?
No. Our mobile equipment is moved into the facility, where care is provided in a treatment room in order to ensure patient comfort and privacy.
How do I transfer a patient to Doorstep Healthcare Services care?
For dental care, the facility where our patients reside sign up for our services. Unfortunately, we cannot come out to see one individual. Encourage your loved one’s facility to contact us about our comprehensive care management.
What are the credentials of DHS's healthcare professionals?
All our staff are carefully screened. Once on board, they participate in our training to learn about providing care to special needs populations. Our professionals have indicated that their clinical skills have grown by working with the diverse patient groups DHS serves.
Who does DHS most commonly serve?
We serve patients in a wide variety of long-term care and assisted livings settings, including the elderly, physically and/or mentally disabled, ventilator-dependent patients, persistent mentally ill, adult developmentally disabled, adult male alcoholics, patients with such health care challenges as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer's, dementia, traumatic brain injured young and older adults and others with special needs.
What is DHS's geographical service area?
We provide service throughout the state of Minnesota, including Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington and Wright counties.
What if patients have special needs (are on a ventilator, have limited mobility, etc.)?
Our professionals are specially trained to effectively deal with many types of patients. Family members have often been impressed with the creative methods utilized by our dentists to provide care to special needs patients.
Why are residents in long-term care settings sometimes denied quality dental care?
Unfortunately, dental care for those on medical assistance with long-term care needs is not a priority for insurance carriers or the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Although patients and their families are painfully aware of this fact, this information is often new to the general public. Barriers to service include difficulty in transporting patients outside of their facilities, and payment rates are too low for general practitioners to provide needed care and cover their costs. DHS is specially equipped to serve patients in long-term care settings, right inside their own home. But, as a non-profit organization we depend on the support of those in communities we serve to keep our service active and providing care to these desperately under-served populations. We need your help to sustain this effort.
How does DHS survive financially when serving many patients on medical assistance?
Doorstep Healthcare Services’ accepts all forms of payments including insurance reimbursement, payment for services from patients and families. Grants are always being sought, and we have been fortunate to receive a number of grants from organizations that recognize the lack of dental care available to these under-served populations. We recognize the effect that individual contributors have on our future financial success and realize the value of retaining dependable means of financial support. We build our network of financial support to include corporate and foundation funding and private donations. Donate now!
How can I support DHS?
You can support our work in a variety of ways: donate your time by joining out board or hosting a house party to educate others about our mission, and/or provide needed financial support!
Oral health is the highest correlation to overall health! Dental care is important for everyone, and especially important for those with health complications. High quality dental care ensures that an untreated infection from the mouth does not impact the rest of the patient's body. Also, helping a patient keep their oral health intact will be contributing to the patient's ability to feel comfortable in social settings, and ultimately, their quality of life.
Does the dental work happen in a Winnebago, RV or trailer?
No. Our mobile equipment is moved into the facility, where care is provided in a treatment room in order to ensure patient comfort and privacy.
How do I transfer a patient to Doorstep Healthcare Services care?
For dental care, the facility where our patients reside sign up for our services. Unfortunately, we cannot come out to see one individual. Encourage your loved one’s facility to contact us about our comprehensive care management.
What are the credentials of DHS's healthcare professionals?
All our staff are carefully screened. Once on board, they participate in our training to learn about providing care to special needs populations. Our professionals have indicated that their clinical skills have grown by working with the diverse patient groups DHS serves.
Who does DHS most commonly serve?
We serve patients in a wide variety of long-term care and assisted livings settings, including the elderly, physically and/or mentally disabled, ventilator-dependent patients, persistent mentally ill, adult developmentally disabled, adult male alcoholics, patients with such health care challenges as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer's, dementia, traumatic brain injured young and older adults and others with special needs.
What is DHS's geographical service area?
We provide service throughout the state of Minnesota, including Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington and Wright counties.
What if patients have special needs (are on a ventilator, have limited mobility, etc.)?
Our professionals are specially trained to effectively deal with many types of patients. Family members have often been impressed with the creative methods utilized by our dentists to provide care to special needs patients.
Why are residents in long-term care settings sometimes denied quality dental care?
Unfortunately, dental care for those on medical assistance with long-term care needs is not a priority for insurance carriers or the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Although patients and their families are painfully aware of this fact, this information is often new to the general public. Barriers to service include difficulty in transporting patients outside of their facilities, and payment rates are too low for general practitioners to provide needed care and cover their costs. DHS is specially equipped to serve patients in long-term care settings, right inside their own home. But, as a non-profit organization we depend on the support of those in communities we serve to keep our service active and providing care to these desperately under-served populations. We need your help to sustain this effort.
How does DHS survive financially when serving many patients on medical assistance?
Doorstep Healthcare Services’ accepts all forms of payments including insurance reimbursement, payment for services from patients and families. Grants are always being sought, and we have been fortunate to receive a number of grants from organizations that recognize the lack of dental care available to these under-served populations. We recognize the effect that individual contributors have on our future financial success and realize the value of retaining dependable means of financial support. We build our network of financial support to include corporate and foundation funding and private donations. Donate now!
How can I support DHS?
You can support our work in a variety of ways: donate your time by joining out board or hosting a house party to educate others about our mission, and/or provide needed financial support!