With a desire to help the underserved dental communities since she was in dental school, Ashleigh Robinson has left her stationary dental office and now travels door to door to provide dental services to all who need it
By Catherine Miller
A doctor that makes house calls may seem like a thing of the past — but Ashleigh Robinson is doing just that.
But don’t call her for a fever or stomach issue. Robinson is a traveling dentist who works exclusively at the homes of her patients.
She is perhaps the only dentist doing this type of home visits in Western New York.
Born and raised in Buffalo, Robinson has made it her mission to make oral health care available to everyone in Western New York. With a desire to help the underserved dental communities since she was in dental school, Robinson has left her stationary dental office and now travels door to door to provide dental services to all who need it.
As founder and owner of AccommoDental, she caters to individuals that have trouble traveling or visiting a dental office. Her clientele includes those with mobility issues, emotional concerns and special needs.
“I want to help people with medically complex backgrounds gain access to dental services,” Robinson explained. “I saw a need for this type of service while I was working at ECMC. I realized while I was there that the best way to serve some people is in their home.”
Many patients of AccommoDental are the elderly that have difficulty traveling to a dental office and special needs individuals that are better served in a one-on-one setting. Robinson has also treated children and younger adults that have mobility limitations, cognitive impairments and phobias.
Access to oral health care for the elderly and disabled is not always easy and Robinson is aware of this first-hand.
With a sister who utilizes a wheelchair and many elderly relatives, she realizes that many offices are not handicapped accessible and the doorways and equipment are not manageable with wheelchairs and mobility devices. With AccommoDental, the care comes to your loved one wherever they may be in Buffalo and throughout the Western New York area whether at home, in a nursing facility or at an assisted living center.
AccommoDental is able to complete most dental services in the comfort of the patients’ homes. With a wide range of mobile equipment and devices, everything from a basic cleaning, to X-rays, fillings, tooth extractions and even dentures can be completed at the patient’s house.
Wherever the patient is comfortable in their home is where the doctor will set up her equipment, whether it is a wheelchair, bed or recliner. Robinson brings a wide range of extension cords, a table and all else that will assist in turning a room in your home to her makeshift office for the patient’s procedures. Robinson does note that she can’t do it all.
“Some procedures take more elaborate equipment. For example, I cannot complete all extractions,” she said. “If you can go to the dental office, you absolutely should. But the majority of oral health care treatments can be done in the comfort of your home when that is necessary.”
Family members are welcome to be present at the appointment with the permission of the patient. Minors and those patients with guardians should have their guardian present at the initial appointment. Robinson will stay in contact with the guardians throughout the treatment period and will always welcome family members during her visits.
While the majority of the general public may be better served at a traditional dental office where additional equipment is available, for those patients that cannot functionally travel to a dentist’s office, AccommoDental is ideal and available in most areas of Western New York.
“I have traveled throughout many of the counties in Western New York,” Robinson said. “If you are in need of my services the easiest way to determine if you are in my region is to contact me.”
AccommoDental is not able to directly accept insurance at this time. There are some dental providers that will reimburse you for the dental treatments and you can contact your providers to discuss the details of your policy. If reimbursement is possible AccommoDental will assist in the filing of the claim.
Robinson’s office can be contacted at 716-525-8228. You can listen to podcast, the ResiDental Movement, where she talks about her practice and hopes to encourage other dentists to take their dental skills on the road and assist in the home-to-home oral health care mission. You can also visit www.accommodental.com for additional information.