teledentistry C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 4 8 , Nº 1 0
literature review
Teledentistry 101: A Primer for Dental Professionals for the New Normal Parvati Iyer, DDS; Shuba Anantha, DDS; Amy Griffith, DDS; and Casey Farrand, BS
a b s t r a c t As dental practices prepare to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic,
dentists have to overcome myriad challenges including low patient volume, shortage of PPE and additional operational expenses on top of lost revenue during the pandemic. Teledentistry could be a viable option to connect with patients and to triage before scheduling emergency appointments. This article provides essential tips to launch teledentistry in your office for the new normal and for the foreseeable future.
AUTHORS Parvati Iyer, DDS, is an assistant professor in the department of diagnostic sciences and the course director for integrated clinical sciences I at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported. Shuba Anantha, DDS, is a part-time instructor in the department of preventive and restorative dentistry at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and works as a part-time associate. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s international dentist program. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported.
Amy Griffith, DDS, practices full time in Sunnyvale, Calif. She earned a degree in psychology from the University of California, San Diego and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported. Casey Farrand, BS, graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in health science. She is a consultant for dental practices. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Ms. Farrand is a freelance practice consultant for dental practices.
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eledentistry is not new to the industry. In 1994, the Department of Defense1 launched Total Dental Access (TDA) with the sole purpose of increasing access to care, continuing education and providing effective communication between dentists and specialists. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, teledentistry was used as a cost-effective measure2 to improve oral health in nontraditional settings, nursing homes, schools in rural areas and in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Now more than ever, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light this underutilized option in dentistry. The Oral Disease Burden and Prevention Report (2017)3 for California cites a severe shortage of dental workforce in rural areas as an important factor in contributing to oral health disparities. About 59 million people living in these “health professional shortage areas”4 have no access to oral health care. The
COVID-19 pandemic may be the muchneeded catalyst for change. Patient flow has been disrupted and altered, and this might be the perfect opportunity for urban dentists to extend care to these underserved populations by using teledentistry. This type of delivery of care has been tested in public health settings and has proved to be effective in reducing oral disease5 in high-risk populations. Marko Vujicic, PhD, from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, hypothesized that based on preliminary data gathered from dental practices that reopened the first week of May, lack of PPE and perception of risk of transmission were the two important factors6 that impacted the dental economics of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, a patient would be seen for a face-to-face consultation to discuss a concern before scheduling treatment. Now, with PPE constraints and other limitations, it is possible to optimize OC TOBER 2 0 2 0 547
