Sixteen years on the road: a mobile dental unit for vulnerable communities in Bradford.

Abstract

Introduction As a means of targeting vulnerable populations to offer care outside the traditional clinical setting, mobile clinics exist that permit clinical teams to travel into the community to provide dental care.Aims To highlight some of the inequalities faced by vulnerable populations, to discuss the benefits of a mobile dental unit (MDU) and how it may address some of these inequalities, and to reflect on some of the achievements of the Bradford MDU.Vulnerable populations Vulnerable communities may include the homeless population, those affected by substance misuse, those suffering with mental health problems, asylum seekers, or an amalgamation. Such groups are likely to have lower expectations of healthcare and may not seek help until oral disease is advanced, with a large proportion likely to have already lost their teeth.Bradford MDU The MDU owned by Bradford Community Dental Service is unique in both its longevity of service and populations it serves, and has been providing an outreach dental service to the vulnerable populations of Bradford for the last 16 years. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic suspended services during the thick of lockdown, the Bradford MDU is slowly re-opening its services, so the care received by these vulnerable populations is no longer compromised.