Frequently Asked Questions

• What happens during my appointment?

  When I arrive at your chosen location, we begin with a calm, unhurried conversation. I take time to understand your health history, past dental experiences, and any specific concerns you may have. From there, your visit typically includes:

  • A thorough but gentle oral health assessment
  • Gentle scaling to remove plaque and tartar buildup
  • Polishing to support gum health and comfort
  • Frequent comfort check-ins throughout the appointment

• What is mobile dental hygiene?

  Mobile dental hygiene brings professional dental hygiene services directly to the patient. Care is provided in the comfort of the patient’s home or care facility rather than a traditional dental office. This approach removes barriers such as transportation, mobility challenges, and dental anxiety, while allowing care to be delivered at a calm pace.

• Do I need to prepare anything before my appointment?

  Very little preparation is required. For your first visit, I will need:

  • A completed new patient form
  • Access to a standard electrical outlet

• Do you bring a dental chair, or do I need special seating?

  Care is provided wherever the patient feels most comfortable. A portable dental chair is available when appropriate, but care can also be performed using the patient’s existing seating.

  This may include:

  • A portable dental chair brought to your location
  • A personal bed
  • A wheelchair
  • A favorite recliner
  • A supportive chair in a quiet room

• Do I still need to see a dentist?

  Yes. Think of me as part of your extended care team.

  My focus is preventive, gentle hygiene care delivered in the comfort of your home. A dentist oversees diagnosis and any advanced treatment if it is ever needed.

  To continue home visits, California regulations require written authorization from a dentist or physician approximately every 18 months. This simple document ensures care remains properly supervised and compliant.

  I can communicate with your current dentist, or help you establish care with one if needed. The goal is seamless, steady support for your oral health.

• Who qualifies for mobile dental hygiene services?

  Mobile dental hygiene services are designed for patients who have difficulty accessing a traditional dental office:

  • Seniors and retirees
  • Homebound individuals
  • Residents of assisted living or nursing facilities
  • Patients with mobility limitations
  • Individuals with medically complex conditions
  • Patients with severe dental anxiety or certain mental health challenges that make office visits overwhelming

• Is mobile dental hygiene safe for elderly or medically fragile patients?

  Yes. Mobile dental hygiene is especially well suited for patients who benefit from a slower, more attentive approach to care.

  Care is delivered with:

  • Careful review of patient’s medical history
  • Gentle techniques tailored to each patient’s comfort and tolerance
  • Attention to proper positioning and fatigue management
  • Clear communication with caregivers and family members when appropriate
  • Coordination with the patient’s dentist or healthcare provider when necessary

• What if the patient is anxious or resistant to dental care?

  Gentleness and patience are central to every visit. Appointments are unhurried, and care is adapted to each patient’s emotional and physical comfort level. Many patients who struggle in traditional dental offices feel more relaxed receiving care in the familiarity of their own environment.

• Do you work with caregivers and family members?

  Yes. Communication with caregivers and family members is an important part of the care process.

  This may include:

  • Explaining what to expect before the visit
  • Discussing oral health findings after the appointment
  • Coordinating ongoing maintenance visits
  • Answering questions about home care routines

• Is there a deposit required?

  Yes. A non-refundable deposit is required to confirm all appointments.

  This deposit typically covers the travel fee and helps reserve appointment time for mobile visits.

• Do you accept insurance?

  Tooth Fairy Mobile Hygiene operates as a fee-for-service practice.

  Payment is due at the time of service. If your insurance plan allows, you may submit the visit documentation to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement.

  Transparent pricing is always discussed in advance.

• How often should visits be scheduled?

  Visit frequency depends on overall health, gum condition, and individual risk factors.

  Many elderly and medically complex patients benefit from consistent maintenance care to help prevent discomfort, infection, and avoidable complications.

  Recommendations are made thoughtfully after your initial visit.

More questions families ask

• Is a mobile dental hygienist the same as a mobile dentist?

  No. Tooth Fairy Mobile Hygiene is led by Sherly Johnson, a Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP), licensed in California to provide preventive dental hygiene care outside a dental office: routine and deep cleanings, periodontal maintenance, fluoride treatments, oral cancer screenings and dental X-rays, delivered at home or in a care facility.

  A dentist handles diagnosis and any treatment beyond hygiene. If a visit shows something that needs a dentist, the patient is referred to a licensed dentist, and Sherly can coordinate with the patient's existing dentist.

• Do you visit assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing facilities?

  Yes. Visits take place wherever the patient lives: a private home, an assisted living community, a memory care program or a skilled nursing facility, across the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County and Orange County.

  Care can be given in a portable dental chair, a bed, a wheelchair or a favorite recliner, so residents who cannot travel to an office still receive routine hygiene care. Facilities can contact us to arrange visits for residents.

• Do you take Medicare Advantage or dental insurance?

  Tooth Fairy Mobile Hygiene is a fee-for-service practice. Payment is due at the time of the visit, no plan is billed directly, and pricing is discussed in advance.

  If your dental insurance or a Medicare Advantage plan with dental benefits allows it, you may submit the visit documentation to the plan for possible reimbursement. Check with your plan for its rules.

• What is an RDHAP, and is there one near me?

  RDHAP stands for Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice. It is a California license that allows a dental hygienist to provide preventive dental hygiene care outside a dental office: in a private home, an assisted living community, a memory care program or a skilled nursing facility.

  Sherly Johnson, RDHAP (California License #1069) is regulated by the Dental Hygiene Board of California and visits patients across the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County and Orange County. Services are limited to preventive dental hygiene care within the RDHAP scope of practice, and patients who need additional dental treatment are referred to a licensed dentist. To ask about a visit in your area, call (925) 330-2607 or request a consultation.