A growing family living in a small, remote town. An elderly patient unable to travel beyond their nursing home. A school serving children in lower income households.
In each scenario, dental visits aren’t easy to make or even a priority. But a new trend in virtual dentistry, coined “teledentistry,” is changing that dynamic. Because of the increasing ability of technology, teledentistry works to bring the dentist to the patient, wherever they are.
Tele-dentistry can work in 2 ways:
• Email – Photos, X-rays and other clinical information are securely emailed to a dentist, who then provides patient care instructions to the dental hygienist or provider working with that patient.
• Live video – A dental hygienist physically treats a patient while a dentist or specialist “remotes in” to guide treatment and diagnose issues through audiovisual technology.
Oral health correlates with good overall health. Therefore, an increase in accessibility to care can provide oral health equity for all communities and families.
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