Can Teledentistry Transform the Future of Oral Health Access?
What if there was a simple way to improve the oral health of patients, increase general access to care, encourage regular check ups, and maintain efficiency in the dental office?
What sounds a little too good to be true could actually be the future of dentistry. Teledentristy combines modern telecommunication technology and dentistry, to bring dental services to patients across the country. We know that 60% of the population are not currently receiving any dental care – not even a basic dental visit, never mind comprehensive care. Teledentistry allows dental providers to reach that significant population and expose them to dentistry when they would otherwise go without care.
Teledentistry complements in-office dental care. The goal of this technology is to make access to dental care possible in situations where it would otherwise be a struggle. Instead of waiting for patients to go to the dentist, teledentistry allows patients who do not visit a dentist (whether because of time, money or other factors) to get the care they need. A study of a teledentistry demonstration program in Minnesota found that participants traveled, on average, between 12 and 13 miles to complete a teledentistry visit with a specialist in contrast to an average 300-mile trip to see that specialist at a university’s dental school. But access challenges aren’t limited to people in remote areas – teledentistry also benefits people in urban, low income communities who do not have access to oral health care. The ultimate goal is to have a delivery system that actually reaches people where they are and provides services that promote prevention and behavior change.
Teledentistry brings dental care to underserved communities, focusing on sites where populations receive educational, social service, and general health services - like Head Start programs or community centers, for example. This is because for teledentistry to be effective and have long term benefits, it’s important that we choose sites and organizations where patients have established trust and are likely to return for continued services. Once on site, dentists can easily set up a “mini-office” with all their necessary equipment to capture all of a patient’s information and make a diagnosis on site. A dentist who is off site can review records and decide whether treatment in a dental office is necessary or if the it can be done at the offsite location. By allowing this sort of treatment, providers are strengthening the patient/dentist relationship, providing oral health education, and encouraging ongoing care.
The impact of telecommunications in healthcare is proven in the numbers. According to the American Teledentistry Association, in 2013, 52% of hospitals utilized telehealth, and another 10% were beginning the process of implementing telehealth services. In a 6-year pilot in California at 13 “virtual dental homes” sites, which used teledentistry for an underserved population at the University of the Pacific, researchers were able to prove that telehealth connected dental teams are extremely effective. About two-thirds of children they saw needed services completed by a dental hygienist. By seeing these kids early, they were able to keep most of the children healthy. Not only that, but their continued presence helped build trust and a relationship with the community, giving them the ability to influence beyond the children. Even the principals and the teachers started going to their dentists more.
Professional development and training is a growing use of teledentistry. A NYU Lutheran Dental residency program uses telecommunications tools to teach dental residency students in a more collaborative and hands-on approach. Many dental offices also use it with their own employees to enhance learning and collaboration in the workplace.
As technology continues to improve, so should the access to care. Teledentistry presents an important opportunity for providers and patients to change the way they look at oral health care - with the potential to reduce health disparities, increase general access and regularity to care, and really create better connections between patients and their dentists and oral health.