Teledentistry is a growing area that involves the use of technology to provide virtual dental care. While teledentistry was used – albeit briefly – pre-pandemic, Covid-19 resulted in a huge rise in its use. With routine dentistry being suspended during Covid-19, teledentistry proved to be very effective. Now, a new report has looked into teledentistry.
Teledentistry refers to the use of technology like computers or phones, for the purpose of receiving virtual dental care. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular.
During the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, Teledentistry was heavily used. Teledentistry typically involves a live video chat between a patient and their dentist, or using email to provide key pictures or information regarding a problem the patient has.
A new report has looked into the use of teledentistry in the United States. It has found that it is capable of producing positive results. However, there have been some concerns [1].
Dental industry in Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic is believed to have started in December 2019, and caused mass disruption around the world. The dental industry was particularly hit hard.
At the time of writing, the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported there have been 6.9million deaths from the virus [2].
In 2020, the WHO announced that all non-emergency and routine dentistry should be suspended. Therefore, only those requiring urgent dental care received treatment [3]. This meant that millions missed scheduled dental check-ups. Unfortunately, some have not returned to a dental clinic since.
In this time, tooth decay and gum disease have become more common in some populations [4]. Moreover, as minor issues weren’t treated, many such issues have morphed into more serious ailments. For example, for those that needed a routine cavity filling, the delay meant that some needed a root canal treatment.
With people unable to get routine dental appointments, alternative arrangements were made. Among these alternatives was teledentistry – which has been the subject of a recent report.
The Report
The Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC) have produced a report that has looked in detail at teledentistry and its use in the Covid-19 pandemic [1]. The OHWRC is part of the University at Albany.
The OHWRC noted that dental clinics identified teledentistry as a way of providing dental services during the Covid-19 pandemic [1]. This provided dental clinics with a way of reaching their patients – in the absence of face-to-face services.
To begin with, the authors noted some of the concerns that were associated with teledentistry [1]. Given that dentistry involves physical procedures, the authors pointed out that many people were concerned about a lack of quality in virtual consultations when compared with face-to-face encounters [1].
They also noted that there were concerns over the costs in terms of infrastructure and software. Other concerns included those about if patients would accept a virtual appointment [1].
However, these concerns were seemingly cast aside, with the researchers finding that teledentistry was effective through answers to interviews and surveys into the topic.
They found that the majority of participants in the interviews expressed an interest in continuing to provide teledentistry services [1]. Many found that despite initial reservations, teledentistry proved simple to facilitate.
One of the main benefits was the increased access to dental care that teledentistry provided [1]. This had a range of benefits – especially for those with mobility difficulties, who would typically struggle to make it to face-to-face dental appointments.
The researchers also demonstrated the rise of teledentistry. In fact, they found that by April 2020, the use of teledentistry had increased to almost 60 times the level of use from April 2019.
Interestingly, by August 2020, which was when dental offices started to reopen, teledentistry remained very popular [1]. Its popularity has remained since then.
Looking to the future
The researchers hope that teledentistry can continue to be popular, despite routine dentistry being used again. They have confidence that this will be the case, based on how many people found teledentistry to be effective over the pandemic.
They concluded that teledentistry can serve a huge range of functions effectively, including triage, consultation, diagnosis, referral, follow-ups and health education [1].
However, they have pointed out that a significant barrier that limits the reach of teledentistry is the various laws and regulations of each state. For example, some states do not authorize the use of teledentistry [1].
But while there are barriers in place, the overall findings were positive. There are many strengths associated with teledentistry. Going forward, its popularity is expected to remain.
Thinking points…
1) Some people haven’t yet made a dental appointment since Covid-19. If you are one of these people, remember to book a check-up as soon as possible! It is important to spot any problems early on. A check-up will allow a dentist to take a look at your oral health and make suggestions if needed. Therefore, remember to book soon!
2) Teledentistry has been around for a while, but its popularity has only recently exploded. Can you think of anyone who might be interested in teledentistry? If so – why not send them this article to them! Teledentistry can be particularly useful for those with dental fear or anxiety. We recommend sharing the article now!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a wide range of dental treatment options and advice aimed at improving their oral health.
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] Oral Health Workforce Research Center. (2023). Teledentistry Adoption and Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Available: https://www.chwsny.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/OHWRC-Teledentistry-During-COVID-19_2023_Final.pdf. Last accessed: 14th September 2023.
[2] World Health Organization. (2023). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. Available: https://covid19.who.int/. Last accessed: 14th September 2023.
[3] Rivas, K. (2020). Amid coronavirus, avoid nonessential dental care, WHO says. Available: https://www.foxnews.com/health/who-coronavirus-avoid-nonessential-dental-care. Last accessed: 14th September 2023.
[4] Lyu, W., & Wehby, G. L. (2022). Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s oral health and oral health care use. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 153 (8): p787-796. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.02.008.
