Perhaps you’ve decided to add teledentistry to your patient services. The big question if you’re a Dentrix user:
How does teledentistry work with Dentrix?
As you’re probably aware, the shift to teledentistry has been driven by the need to provide patient interaction during COVID-19. Now, that your practice has reopened (following a period of primarily emergency dentistry) you might see the benefits of adding teledentistry as a patient service.
What is teledentistry and how are your colleagues using it?
Teledentistry is essentially a secure, face to face video consultation with a patient. Via the service you can:
- Review your patient’s health history
- Give them opportunity to ask questions related to their oral health symptoms or problems
- Deliver an initial consultation to determine next steps such as a scheduled appointment for further diagnosis or treatment
- Determine if a prescription is necessary and clarify details about filling it, pick-up, etc.
- Refer your patient to a specialist if necessary
- Follow-up on previous treatment and/or confirm progress on current ortho treatment
Virtual visits and video conferences with Dentrix
Dentrix itself does not have video conferencing capabilities but Teledentix offers a basic video conferencing product that is both HIPAA-secure and dental specific.
Teledentix Basic has a very low monthly fee and offers a free trial. With Teledentix Basic, patients and providers can join unlimited video conferences that allow for screen share, file share, video share, and chats.
How to productively use teledentistry with Dentrix
As a Dentrix or Dentrix Ascend user you have the capability to seamlessly provide teledentistry to your patients. The following areas of emphasis will help ensure that you’re maximizing those capabilities and being compliant with all necessary teledentistry coding.
The majority of the following usage details apply to Dentrix Ascend. If you’re using the basic Dentrix platform you might be required to adapt accordingly.
Let’s start with procedure codes…
Set your fees around the required teledentistry codes
There are two codes to understand regarding how you use teledentistry.
- 1-Synchronous code (D9995). This code is used for real-time patient interactions via your teledentistry platform.
- 2-Asynchronous code (D9996). This code is applied to the sharing of stored patient information that’s forwarded outside of a face-to-face (real-time) patient interaction.
Schedule teledentistry patient appointments via “Online Booking” capability
- Confirm that your state/region is qualified to provide and promote teledentistry. Check with your state/region dental organization prior to launching the service.
- Start informing your patients that you’re providing teledentistry. This additional service layer will give some patients comfort as an initial “contactless” interaction with your expertise.
- Direct your patients to schedule a teledentistry appointment within the Online Booking portal via a link on your dental practice website or through each patient communication you send your patient list.
- Create an appointment booking description (e.g. “At Home Teledentistry Consult,” etc) and set it up in the Online Booking portal.
- Set up the appointment designation. Again, confirm that your state and malpractice insurance will allow you to provide teledentistry to new vs. existing patients.
- Use the scheduling link in your dental practice’s web page (by location if applicable) so patients can schedule a teledentistry appointment.
- “Test each location’s online booking for new/existing patients to confirm that everything is working properly.”
Automatically deliver your patient’s health history and treatment consent forms
- Set up and activate (“turn-on”) “Patient Forms.” Include all questionnaires and “customize” the language for each consent form. Apply this to each location (as necessary).
- Construct an automated information flow using “appointment communications.”
- “Set up a request for confirmation message…” (before the appointment start time) and “turn on” confirmation ability.
- Create a “thank you for confirming message and turn on the add forms link.”
- “Set up an appointment start message and turn on the add forms link.” Set it for continual sending and repeat for a preferred period of time. After your patient completes their form the link will go away and they will only see the appointment date/time message reminder.
- Establish your team workflow to determine who will review all incoming forms. Update Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend with medical alerts and any address or insurance changes, etc.
Set up electronic prescription protocols
- Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend “does not integrate with ePrescribe for electronic prescriptions” currently. You can use it as a standalone program by opening a separate browser window and sending your prescriptions electronically.
- Document the prescription in Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend.
Deliver digital treatment plans to your patients
- Detailed treatment plans can be sent via text or email to your patient following a teledentistry session.
- Specialist referrals can be coded under “Refer to Oral Surgeon.” You can use the “Tx Consent Messages” in “Patient Forms” to customize your message/language (e.g. name, address, phone number, specialist website, etc).
Provide electronic statements to your patients
- Charged out procedure codes for teledentistry or procedures can be sent via digital statement.
- Consult with your insurance carriers for guidance about reimbursements and what’s necessary for filing. And claims can also be created and submitted through Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend.
- A workflow can be set up for “bulk statements” through Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend.
- Electronic statements can also be sent individually.
And…
Remember to seek guidance on legal/compliance guidelines related to the use of teledentistry and Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend.
An easy-to-use, fully-functional teledentistry solution you can use in conjunction with Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend platform
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.
Contact us about Teledentix and what best workflows can be used with your current dental practice management platform, including Dentrix / Dentrix Ascend.
FAIR USE NOTICE
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding and applicable uses for teledentistry. We believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.
