Teledentistry applications for mitigating risk and balancing the clinical schedule

The upheaval of providers and their patients has led to many changes in the way people live and work. In addition to the changes in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidelines, there has been evidence of rapid adoption of telehealth services. In April of 2020, the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute released a report stating that 1 in 4 dentists nationally were utilizing teledentistry to perform limited evaluations. Many of these dentists are new to teledentistry, and unfortunately, direct-to-patient consultations yield limited clinical outcomes. The more traditional methods of using teledentistry have been extending the reach of dental care for over a decade, using an allied team member such as a dental hygienist or expanded-function dental assistant. As dentistry adapts to this new environment, it is important that there be adequate awareness of the diverse uses of teledentistry to meet the needs of the population. This brief, outlines one dental clinic's attempt at providing a broad use of teledentistry.