It happens with most innovations. There are “early adopters,” “late adopters,” and those in between. Speaking of, where do you land on teledentistry adoption?
Assumptions tend to drive your pace to accept, delay, or ignore a new technology - in this case teledentistry.
It’s important to understand that teledentistry technology has been around for awhile. Like many ideas, whose time will come, it found footing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s more is that teledentistry has withstood an amount of skepticism even during its resurgence. Now, many on the sidelines have stepped into the game seeing teledentistry as a solution for improving patient experience and more.
A solid bias
As a teledentistry innovator, we see the obvious benefits of virtual visits using a dedicated platform. Creating new applications and expanding your user experience is where we seek to excel on your behalf.
But don’t merely take our word for it.
Research data published by the British Dental Journal would back up our claims alongside other teledentistry adopters.
- “Ninety-four percent of adults expressed satisfaction with a teledentistry visit
- Ninety-seven percent felt that their needs were met and that they were able to express themselves clearly.” [1]
According to Dental Products Report:
”If teledentistry is integrated into your practice for greater efficiency and an improved patient experience, you can be confident that your patients will respond positively in a customer satisfaction survey.” [2]
Even so, there’s space for growth.
”Twenty-two percent of dentists believe that teledentistry creates new opportunities.” [3]
The remaining 78% land within the scope of our bias for increasing teledentistry adoption.
Count on patient preference, once again, to help drive the process. It would be unfair to the emerging solutions associated with virtual technology to merely dismiss it as a pandemic trend.
- Patients want convenience
- Patients desire easy access to an initial care diagnosis
- Patients see technology advances as a lifestyle advantage
Thinking through those patient perceptions helps shift the bias towards adopting teledentistry as a legitimate service in your practice(s).
Teledentistry adoption inside and outside the pandemic context
Improved workflows
Before COVID-19 early adopters of teledentistry used the new technology to provide care to those who lacked easy access to dentistry. It would appear to be the earliest deployment of mobile dental care.
For example, a dental hygienist could see a patient outside of the brick-and-mortar practice facility. Virtual technology would provide a connection to the dentist for diagnosis, questions, etc.
Charting, digital x-rays, and a visual examination via whatever tech was used gave the dentist remote perspective into the patient’s condition(s). As a dentist, you could also monitor ongoing care factors and collaborate with specialists if necessary.
Opportunity multiplied during the pandemic as dental practices closed or provided care via a limited schedule.
Those with teledentistry capabilities could see patients virtually without placing the patient, themselves, or their team at risk of exposure. Even though PPE eliminated much of that risk, teledentisry provided personal access to a provider without the costly layers of protection being required.
Also, dental emergency care or necessary treatment could be more efficiently provided with less time in the physical office.
Patient care innovations (like those mentioned) carry over into what’s becoming a post-pandemic era. Like you, providers are discovering that teledentistry convenience, workflows, and expanded care opportunities (e.g. mobile dentistry) are here to stay.
Online, virtual relevance
No doubt, culture fully embraces online connectivity. Establish your practice’s online identity and your appeal potential rises with new and current patients.
Online and virtual solutions broaden your reach. A higher percentage of patients most often find you online. And they’re accustomed to interacting there too.
Teledentistry adoption gives you another virtual connection. It adds another contact point for those who value convenience, seek a perceived safer alternative to a face-to-face consultation, and it sensitizes them to other online options you make available.
- Virtual payment portals
- Online scheduling platforms
- Remote data and records access
- Social media engagement
- Specialist introductions and referral hand-offs
Online, virtual scalability has far-reaching potential. And it’s only going to expand.
Teledentistry adoption keeps you in-the-loop and relevant along the way.
Check out these resources for more insight into the growing movement towards teledentistry adoption and its positive impact on patient care:
Improve Continuity of Care and Care Coordination Using Teledentistry
An Overview and Guide to Mobile Dentistry
Our bias is your advantage
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.
- Teledentix provides an easy-to-use video conferencing tool that’s secure, HIPAA compliant, and specific to dentistry.
- Teledentix Basic is a perfect starting point. Begin with a free trial and then transition to a very low monthly fee. You and your patients can join unlimited video conferences including screen-share, file-share, video-share, and real-time chat communications.
LEARN MORE about the Teledentix platform.
[1] https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/view/history-repeats-itself-with-teledentistry-and-technology
[2] https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/view/history-repeats-itself-with-teledentistry-and-technology
[3] Rahman N, Nathwani S, Kandiah T. Teledentistry from a patient perspective during the coronavirus pandemic. Br Dent J. Published online August 14, 2020. Accessed May 20, 2021. doi:10.1038/s41415-020-1919-6
