The Challenges and Rewards of Teledentistry.

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a 10-week pause in routine dental care across New York State.
• This interruption aimed to conserve personal protective equipment (PPE) but impacted patient access to essential dental services.
• Academic dental centers like NYU Dentistry, which typically manage over 1,000 urgent and complex cases daily, faced unprecedented challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of the dental care pause on patient oral health outcomes.
• To evaluate the rise in antibiotic and analgesic prescriptions, including opioids, during the interruption.
• To document the increased utilization of hospital emergency centers for dental issues.

Main Methods:

• The study likely involved retrospective analysis of patient records and prescription data.
• Examining emergency center visit trends related to dental conditions was a key component.
• The implementation and initial operation of a teledentistry service at NYU Dentistry were also documented.

Main Results:

• A significant deterioration in overall oral health was observed among patients.
• There was a notable increase in the prescription and use of antibiotics and analgesics, particularly opioids.
• Hospital emergency centers experienced a rise in visits for dental-related emergencies.

Conclusions:

• The pause in routine dental care negatively affected oral health and increased reliance on medications and emergency services.
• The rapid implementation of teledentistry by NYU Dentistry provided a crucial alternative during the service interruption.
• Findings highlight the importance of maintaining access to dental care and the potential of teledentistry in public health crises.