Source: Hudson Reporter
There really isn’t a dentist named Henry. Henry the Dentist (HENRY) is a mobile dental office that pulls up in front of various corporate offices to provide employees with on-the-spot basic dental services, such as checkups, cleanings, even filling of cavities.
Justin Joffe, co founder of the Jersey City-based clinic, said they work with human resources professionals with various corporations in Hoboken, North Bergen, Jersey City as well as a host of communities around the state, to schedule a time when the vehicle can come to their offices. This provides employees with a convenient way to access their in-network dental benefits without them needing to use a half day of personal time off.
Joffe said the Centers for Disease Control says that one-third of Americans have not gone to the dentist in over a year, with 40 percent of those with dental insurance underutilizing their care providers. The most common cited reason for not using their benefits is the hassle of travel time, work hours lost (one estimate says that more than 190 million work hours are lost annually), and finding a trustworthy dental professional.
Not taking advantage of preventative health care options can lead to larger health issues down the road for many people – from tooth decay and cavities, to gum disease, oral cancer, and more.
By working with local businesses, Henry is offering a tactical and convenient solution to this problem and is so far having a significant impact on the community. Joffe said Henry’s mission is to deliver “an elevated brand experience” to experience something directly to patients that will accommodate their busy schedules.
The idea came out of a discussion several years ago, and then he got together with an architect and design companies to come up with the service. Although currently, there is only one Henry vehicle on the road, others are planned. Each is equipped with a panoramic x-ray, massage dental chairs, Apple TVs with access to Netflix and HBO, and a team of dental professionals.
Joffe along with designers, architects and dentists have been working on the idea for more than a year and just recently launched their first vehicle. While the company is based in Jersey City, it services companies throughout Hudson County, including Hoboken and North Bergen, and companies throughout the state.
Services include everything from x-ray to teeth whitening, and the cost is covered by nearly all medical carriers including Delta Dental, Metlife, Guardian, Aetna, Cigna, United, and Horizon.
Currently available across New Jersey, HENRY works with human resources teams to schedule its clinics curbside at employer offices. “We set a date and then the employees come downstairs,” he said. “They are generally back at their desks within an hour. We do almost anything that is done in a same day clinic.”