For many “seeing-is-believing!” That could apply in big ways when you utilize teledentistry in treatment planning.
You and your patients are somewhat accustomed to visual support during case presentation. And we’ve also explored how teledentistry supports case acceptance.
Including the virtual environment as another practical tool in your overall treatment planning process gives you and your team another opportunity to improve the patient experience.
Patient-centric is patient-essential
The more patient-centric or patient-facing your care protocols are the better. Also consider how COVID-19 has changed-the-game for patient expectations regarding dentistry.
Safety has always been a priority. Now, it’s a point of evaluation for how you provide care and what patients perceive when considering their next dental appointment.
Teledentistry provides another solution for the hesitant or high-anxiety patient - especially as relates to their engagement around treatment.
Patient-centric care via teledentistry opens the door to new options for planning and presenting treatment. It follows that adopting a virtual care mindset will increase your use of teledentistry as a more front-line communication tool.
Time and time…again
Your time is a production asset. And your patient’s time is a personal asset.
Of course, you’re aware of the time involved planning and presenting treatment. The in-office standard is deeply ingrained as a presentation protocol.
That said…
The more you can do to secure and save time for you, your team, and your patients will create positive returns. That makes your ongoing investment in teledentistry worthwhile.
Use teledentistry to support the treatment planning environment
Back to the seeing-is-believing thought…your patients will more likely accept treatment that they understand. And the visual aspect is key to their understanding.
Leverage the visual “bias”
You’ve relied on visuals to support your treatment planning process and subsequent presentations. This bias relies on the additional boost that images, charts, and visual content brings to the treatment plan.
The same applies to the virtual space when using teledentistry. And the added benefit is you’re no longer bound to your clinic’s consult room or chairside confines.
- Teledentistry maximizes comfortable and preferred technology on the behalf of your patient’s health. Smartphones, tablet devices, and personal computers become an extension of your brick-and-mortar facilities for the purpose of treatment planning and presentations.
- Real-time (synchronous) images can be captured and shared by the patient. Or stored (asynchronous) images can be easily included in treatment plans to affirm the recommended procedure(s).
Loop others into the process
Often a patient will delay dental care because they trust or prefer the input of another family member or caregiver. Senior patients in particular will sometimes need the eyes-and-ears of a third party for treatment related decisions.
Teledentistry provides a virtual connection that loops essential and trusted individuals into the treatment planning discussion. The remote conferencing capability of the virtual visit gives parents, guardians, care-givers, and trusted medical providers access to the treatment plan as it’s in process.
You and your patient are no longer limited by proximity or presence in your dental office. The virtual environment is border-less and allows for broad participation in treatment planning when necessary (or when preferred).
Let your patients make the call
Patients appreciate options. They might delay a treatment plan because they perceive that the process requires an in-person visit.
Treatment planning via teledentistry allows them some physical and emotional “air” to process the information you prepare and provide. Expect patient acceptance to rise as relates to virtual accessibility to their treatment plans.
Though the subsequent procedure(s) likely require an in-person appointment, teledentistry eliminates one trip to your office by accomplishing the planning portion online.
- Brainstorm new and innovative uses of teledentistry and the mobile/virtual environment.
- Promote the virtual visit as a natural solution for treatment planning as you would the standard, in-person visit.
- Encourage your patients to share their teledentistry experience through online reviews, on social media, and via referrals to their network of relationships.
Teledentistry is patient-centric in an era when the benefits are essential to the patient experience. Check out the following resources that highlight common aspects of the treatment planning and treatment presentation process:
Refine the Patient Experience with Teledentistry
Increase Case Acceptance with Teledentistry
Choose a teledentistry platform that supports a convenient, time-saving, and secure treatment planning experience for you and your patients
Teledentix is an innovative, turn-key teledentistry solution created by Virtual Dental Care. The all-in-one platform will enable you to adapt teledentistry to your patient care and extend your services beyond the walls of your dental practice…and improve your patient care in the process.
LEARN MORE about the Teledentix platform.
