Wouldn’t it be great if everything we had on our to-do lists could literally show up at our door and check itself off? Scheduling errands and appointments is not something I do with a glow of anticipation.
Like most moms, I hire at-home services to take care of “stuff” on a pretty regular basis. There are the obvious at-home service providers who clean, fix and deal with all the heavy stuff that doesn’t move. We’re probably also aware of some of the “house call” options we have available to us. It’s worth it to save a trip and skip the headache of figuring out how to schedule everything between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to avoid Washington area traffic! Long live the grocery delivery trucks, dry cleaning bags on the front door and Amazon boxes.
The at-home service industry is growing for reasons we all understand and appreciate. Our to-do lists grow with each kid we have – and in my experience, the growth becomes exponential as they get older. (Sorry, new moms…).
One at-home service I wouldn’t have thought could happen is dentist house calls. The dentist, no matter how gentle or friendly, can be a challenge with kids. My kids are “OK” with the dentist, but twice-a-year visits for the three of them plus mom and dad equals a lot of schedule balancing.
So, of course, at home dentistry seems ideal. I talked to Dr. Griffiths of IDC, a local dentist care coordination group, to get the scoop. More than 30 years ago, IDC started on-site service to care for elderly patients with mobility issues. Since then, they have expanded their on-site dental care to include all of us – kids, parents, grandparents and busy professionals.
Your teeth and gums are a huge indicator of overall health, so it’s not OK to skip a check-up. For patients who may require complex services, at-home dentists can mobilize their equipment and do pretty much all the dentist visit procedures at your house. You can get x-rays, cleanings, cavities filled, implants and even those dreaded root canals.
They promise it’s as simple as having a comfortable chair and a space to work. Dr. Griffiths says, “Sometimes the best place to ‘set up shop’ is in someone’s kitchen or in an office with a high-backed chair with a headrest. All the equipment we carry has been sterilized in air-tight pouches so there is no concern about contamination from other sources.”
For kids (of all ages) who may have some fear of the dentist, having the visit on your home turf can take away some of the anxiety — an especially important factor for kids with special needs who may struggle with new places and people. IDC has taken care of many urgent situations when a patient just can’t make it to the office, and they have a thorough follow-up process with other physicians and your regular dentist as need be.
So if you’re looking for fewer to-do’s that take you away from home, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you can have done in-house. No more excuses for bad hair or teeth – for parents, kids and pets. Just have the hair stylist, groomer, vet – and dentist – come to you!
Local at-home service testimonials:
It’s so much fun to have a spa treatment at home. Getting a facial and massage and not having to get dressed to drive home just makes it so perfectly relaxing.
Britanny S., Takoma Park, MD
I have an errand service who just does what needs to be done. Everything from picking up shopping returns to prepping dinner for us. It’s so nice to know someone is busy getting all those things done at home while I’m at work.
Cindy S., Washington, D.C.
I decided it was time to get in shape and hired a personal trainer to come to my house twice a month. My friends found out about it, and we decided to go in together. Donald came every week and worked with us as a group, and we all got a bit skinnier!
Lauren B., Herndon, VA
With little kids and a husband who travels quite a bit for business, having the hair dresser come to me is huge! I can schedule around nap times and feel like a new person with my hair done.”
Debbie C., Vienna, VA
I recently tried an at-home brake repair service and am sold on the idea. It was such a huge time saver and actually cost me less than my usual repair shop. Win-win.
Mark W., Chantilly, VA
You may be totally hip to all the at-home services available in our area,
but I was not aware of many of these options:
Mobile Spa
Hair Stylist/Blow Outs
Paint your own Pottery
Car Repair and Detailing
Music Lessons
Personal Trainers
Massage Therapists
Computer Services
Personal Shoppers/Stylists
Tailor/Alterations
Errand Services
Financial Services
Dog Grooming and Vet Care
Cooking Lessons/Meal Prep
Parties for Kids and Grown Ups
TEXT: Cynda Zurfluh
