Mobile Dental Units: Role in Periodontal Care and Global and Indian Perspectives

Abstract

Mobile Dental Units (MDUs) are an important alternative model for delivering oral healthcare to populations facing geographic, socioeconomic and mobility-related barriers. They function as mobile or portable dental facilities providing screening, preventive care and selected basic treatment at community locations. Their relevance to periodontics is substantial because periodontal diseases represent a major oral health burden, particularly among underserved populations. The Indian National Oral Health Survey reported periodontal disease prevalence of 67.7% among 15-year-olds and 89.6% among adults aged 35–44 years. MDUs can contribute to periodontal disease control through community screening, oral hygiene education, plaque and calculus control, scaling, prophylaxis, selected non-surgical periodontal therapy and referral of advanced cases. Globally, MDUs have been successfully implemented among rural communities, schoolchildren, migrants, elderly and homebound individuals and socially disadvantaged populations. In India, they provide an opportunity to address urban–rural disparities and limitations in availability, affordability and accessibility of dental services. Integration with dental institutions, primary healthcare facilities, tele-dentistry and structured referral systems can strengthen their role in community periodontal care.