Need
"Oral health is integral to overall health. Ignoring oral health problems can lead to needless pain and suffering, complications that can devastate well-being, and financial and social costs that significantly diminish quality of life and burden American society."
– Donna E. Shalala, Health and Human Services Secretary, 1993-2000
The elderly, persons living with disabilities and people with complex health problems are at a greater risk for oral disease that can further complicate their overall health. Unfortunately, oral hygiene and routine dental care are areas that tend to be overlooked in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Access to dental care is limited, and patients are often left to care for their own teeth, gums and dentures. Often these individuals lack the ability to effectively do so because of illness, limited mobility, frailty, or other physical or mental conditions.
Access to a basic health service such as dental care is crucial to health maintenance and improving the quality of life. By eliminating barriers such as transportation, accessibility, financial cost and unfamiliar surroundings, these individuals are much more likely to receive proper oral healthcare.
Doorstep Healthcare Services works to meet the needs of these patients by bringing high-quality dental care to patients where they live. Each year, DHS visits 40 nursing homes and long-term care facilities, performing services for over 2,000 patients. DHS is expanding to help meet the great unmet dental need in Minnesota with our new dental team, the Preventative Service Dentistry program, and expansion to smaller nursing homes that encounter an especially difficult time finding service providers. DHS also aims to:
- Increase the number of patients with access to oral healthcare
- Increase access to affordable, comprehensive dental care
- Reduce the number of patients with untreated tooth decay
- Relieve pain and discomfort from preventable and treatable dental concerns
- Decrease periodontal disease and other oral health illnesses
- Increase awareness of dental health issues through preventive oral hygiene education
- Increase our patients' individual abilities to care for their own oral hygiene
DHS Plans
DHS is investigating the possibility of expanding our geographic reach as well as adding additional health services. [link to future services]Read more about these options and how to support them.
Donate to DHS
YOU can make a difference! Together, we can provide more dental care to seniors and underserved citizens throughout Minnesota. We can reach more Twin Cities patients, grow our services, and eventually expand to reach outstate Minnesota. Donate today!
In the News
Read about the importance of local dental care in a Star Tribune column by Nick Coleman.
