My husband needs dental work. I use a lift to get him out of bed. Does anyone know of a dental facility that works with clients like him?

Ouch, have you tried a water pic to remove the food without causing any problems?

You can get adjustable ones now and they are fabulous for dental care.

A dentist can also treat a patient in the hospital. We had an elder in the extended family that needed an abscessed tooth removed. It was scheduled at the hospital outpatient surgery center where an anesthesiologist sedated him, the dentist extracted the tooth, they gave in IV antibiotics while he was there and sent him home with a prescription.

You'd need to find a mobile dentist who travels to your home to do the work. These types of mobile dentistry teams go to ALFs and nursing homes also and cater to people who cannot leave their homes. I wonder, however, if your husband would be compliant with having someone rooting around in his mouth? That's something major to consider before investing in the cost of just having them charge you a trip fee to come to your home!!

If you would like to pursue this option, simply Google "mobile dentist near me" and lots will pop up on your screen.

Good luck!

When you get him out of bed, does he use a wheelchair? Is there any reason you can't take him to the dental facility in a wheelchair, hiring a suitable cab? Wheelchair accessible cabs are much more widely available than they used to be.

Depending on how extensive or complicated the work, you may find a dentist who will be willing to do it in the home. Try searching for "community" or "outreach" dental services in your area.

It's a problem. I took grandma to the dentist she has assigned on her insurance. This dentist is listed as being handicap friendly. I don't see how that can be. There's not enough room to even get a wheelchair next to the chair to do a transfer. The dentist came out and took a look at her in her wheelchair and said that he couldn't help us.

The x-ray tech before we saw the dentist was able to take a few shots. There doesn't look like there's anything major wrong. So now I'm not even sure it's worth it to find a dentist that will accept her. Since I don't think she'll allow for anything to be done anyways. Even swabbing her teeth is a touch and go thing.

Where I live (in MN) I was able to call around and find a dentist willing to do basic, limited dental work on my wheelchair-bound MIL. But they won't accept a transfer of dental info (like recent x-rays) from another office so they will want to do this and charge you for it, and many are not very interested in Medicaid patients. If your husband, even in a wheelchair, can't tilt his head back or comply calmly and open directions from the hygienist/dentist, your only other option is to contact a mobile dentist and then I'm not sure they accept individual/private pay new patients, but they might. I would have tempered expectations of what they can do if he can't get into a dental chair (and please don't assume the dental staff will do that lifting -- make sure to ask this in advance).

Who is saying he needs dental work? And what sort of work is needed?

How compliant is he?

Does he have any phobias regarding the dentist?

I would think long and hard about whether or not he truly needs dental care.

I would check for mobile dentists in your area.