Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Aim: To evaluate the cost-benefit of mobile dental clinics as a strategy to improve access to dental care in Ukraine's remote rural areas. This review quantifies anticipated costs for equipment and operations against the benefits of expanded service coverage, improved oral health outcomes, and cost savings from prevention. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: A narrative review was conducted using secondary data from scientific literature and national health reports. Searches were performed in PubMed (Medline) and Scopus for publications from 2010 to 2025, with emphasis on the most recent data. Keywords included "mobile dental clinic cost analysis," "rural dental care Ukraine," "dental clinic access disparities," and "mobile health cost-benefit." Approximately 60 publications were retrieved; after screening for relevance and quality, 14 key sources were included in the analysis. International case studies and Ukrainian health statistics were compared to evaluate the costs and outcomes of mobile dental units versus fixed dental clinics. No new clinical research was conducted. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Mobile dental clinics are a feasible and cost-effective strategy to reduce urban-rural disparities in oral health. They bring essential care to isolated populations, improve quality of life, and are justified by projected health gains and cost savings. Pilot deployment of mobile dental clinics in high-need areas, integrated with existing referral networks, is recommended as a sustainable approach to improve oral healthcare access in Ukraine.
Source: Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski
Language: English
Subfield: Periodontics
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7124831174