Truckstop Dentist?

Hey everyone,

I'm a dentist in Colorado and I'm considering starting a mobile dental practice focused on providing affordable, urgent care at truck stops. I would accept Medicaid. But, otherwise it would be fee for service. Cash, credit, and possibly EZPay. However, I would file insurance paperwork for you. I would offer limited services. Mostly extractions, root canals, simple fillings and possibly simple and deep cleanings. The cost of these services would meet or beat other practices prices (including Comfort Dental).

I would appreciate your thoughts on how this could be done to serve you best. For example, would a mobile service that could be at a location for a week or so and then move to another location be better than a fixed office at one of the bigger stops (Lamar or Commerce City)? What hours/days would work best for you? I would like to minimize the cash in the clinic for security reasons. Are credit card payments convenient? Speaking of security I'm a married, middle-aged woman. How worried should I be about security? Mind you I've worked on an ambulance and have been a volunteer firefighter, so I'm not exactly a prima donna.

In any case, a Google search shows there are (or were) only three other truck stop dental practices in the US. So I would think that there is still an unmet need for dental services. Also, it seems like a good niche for me since I mostly like to do emergency treatment and because I've always liked traveling. Besides working on an ambulance in Denver, I was also a chauffeur for a couple of years. In fact, at one point I considered becoming a trucker. So please give me your thoughts good or bad.

Thanks!

 

I wish! That would be the utmost of convenience for everyone.

 

Thanks for all the great information guys!

Sounds like a little stationary clinic would be the way to go. I wasn't aware of Comdata or that many drivers have Tricare. I have been signed up with Tricare before. But, I don't know how much of a paperwork nightmare it is since there was front office staff to deal with it. With this practice it would be me and one assistant. So, we really need to minimize the paperwork.

As far as location goes, I'm pretty much stuck in Colorado (not that it's a bad place to be stuck). My husband has a job in Colorado Springs and it's very difficult for him to find other jobs because of the nature of his work. I did read about Johnson's Corner, good to know that might be a good one. I've been assuming that the Fountain stop that's south of Springs is too small. What do you guys think? I could actually live at home if I set up there. Otherwise, maybe Limon would be good.

If I ask this question in the experienced drivers forum will it be a double post? I don't want to do that. Maybe I could just ask them to have a look over here...

Once again, thanks everyone.