Teledentistry at the Crossroads: Benefits, Barriers, and Beginnings

Since the start of COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders given as early as March 16, 2020, routine dental care has experienced a sharp interruption. This challenging time has provided an opportunity for healthcare professionals to use and collaborate with available technologies in a meaningful way. One of the silver linings for dental professionals during this time has been the use of teledentistry. While it is not a replacement for a clinical examination, studies show that teledentistry can be utilized to triage cases, maintain contact with patients, and successfully identify abnormal oral lesions. This article explains both the benefits and barriers of teledentistry that specifically apply to pandemic conditions, providing examples of how this modality can be used by different specialties in dentistry. Additionally, the article proposes models of how teledentistry can be effectively integrated in two different settings: the private practice model and dental schools.