Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications technology for the purpose of diagnosing and treating patients. This means the patient does not have to visit a medical facility to receive care. Applications of telemedicine are prevalent across the wider network of healthcare industries, from cancer treatment to mental health services. In dentistry, telemedicine enables the use of powerful technology to connect patients and practitioners. What are the benefits of such technologies?
Expanded Access to Dental Services
The primary benefit of telemedicine in dentistry, better known as teledentistry, is that more dental services become more accessible. A lack of access to dental care is a major detriment to those living in poverty or residing in rural areas. Sometimes the issue is that the office of a specialist in dental care is located too far away from the patient. Ideally, this is where teledentistry comes in—to connect remote patients with remote practitioners.
Because dental techs are able to obtain valuable information during virtual dental appointments, this creates tremendous opportunities in the area of diagnosing oral health issues. However, there are times when virtual appointments cannot replace the need for in-person technologies. Patients still need to visit a dentist for preventative care and when procedures are required. Teledentistry can help with follow-up appointments to assess the progress of dental work performed in the past and make oral care more accessible for all.
More Affordable Dental Care
One of the primary benefits of teledentistry is that it offers an affordable solution to the problem of costly dental care. There is no getting around the fact that dental care is important. In addition to enabling you to have a bright smile, proper oral hygiene can help mitigate more serious health issues; for instance, there is a link between tooth decay and heart disease, issues in completely separate parts of the body!
By eliminating the expenses associated with having to physically visit a dentist, there are fewer out-of-pocket costs. Notably, it’s possible for dentists and techs to work from remote locations while conducting consultations using appropriate technology for teledentistry. In this regard, patients aren’t the only ones who avoid travel!
Beyond the benefits already listed, teledentistry is likely to result in fewer serious dental issues. This is because it eliminates some of the impediments to receiving dental care, such as transportation issues, fear of the dentists (a legitimate concern, especially for children), and a lack of affordable specialized experts in the locale.
SurfCT.com is a world famous dental information technology company, founded by Mr. Paul Vigario. SurfCT.com specializes in areas such as dental technologies, digital workflow, marketing, dental cloud solutions, and HIPAA compliance. SurfCT.com’s technology solutions are revolutionizing general, cosmetic, and pediatric dentistry, along with oral surgery, endodontics, orthodontics, and other specialized dental practices. At SurfCT.com Everything Is Connected™