Teledentistry

Did you know that less than 50% of people worldwide visit the dentist regularly?

Teledentistry is referred to as a dental treatment through the internet and technology, rather than through direct personal contact. Many people dread the dentist therefore stay away from the dentist’s office. Disabilities, heavy costs, and time management are some other reasons that contribute to people missing their annual dental visits. This is where teledentistry has come in handy. Teledentistry is a platform in which patients are connected to care no matter where they reside. Teledentistry provides services such as capturing images, taking clinical notes and sending them to dentists. The consultations with the dentist are also done live through video chatting. Although if the dentist observes an issue, they will suggest an in-person visit to a local dentist for further evaluation. [1] 

Teledentistry has helped change everyone’s dental experience for the better. It reduces the fear of visiting a dentist’s office. It also helps save a lot of time. It is especially more convenient for the elderly and those with disabilities and there is no need to travel or commute. Teledentistry also lowers cost for dental care. Teledentistry has also helped in reducing fear from clinical examinations. [2] Teledentistry goes into numerous different sub-fields. Some of them are orthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, and so many more fields. All these aspects of teledentistry have provided patients with the ability to seek the best resources for their oral health even if they are not in the same physical location as their providers. [3]

Work Cited 

[1] Bhambal A, Saxena S, Balsaraf SV. Teledentistry: Potentials unexplored. J Int Oral Health 2010;2:1-6. 

[2] Dhingra, Aashna. “Teledentistry - a Review.” LinkedIn SlideShare, 23 Apr. 2019, https://www.slideshare.net/aashnadhingra/teledentistry-a-review. 

[3] “Facts About Teledentistry.” American Teledentistry Association, 3 May 2019, https://www.americanteledentistry.org/facts-about-teledentistry/.

Written by: Ghazaleh Khodaparast