What’s In A Name? The Principles Of Teledentistry
Part 2: From Fort McPherson To Your Smartphone: An Introduction to Teledentistry
In Part 2 of our three-part series, we discuss three key principles that dentists should consider when using teledentistry. In case you missed it, Part 1 talks about the evolution of Teledentistry from a Military Army Base in 1989, to the smartphones of millions of Americans today — check it out here.
“Telehealth is not a specific service; it refers to a broad variety of technologies and tactics to deliver virtual medical, health, and education services. Teledentistry refers to the use of telehealth systems and methodologies in dentistry.” — ADA
There are a number of definitions of teledentistry but all agree on the principle that teledentistry consists of the technological transfer of oral health information for remote review.
Transfer of the data can be by video link, email, SMS, plain old telephone, etc.
Information can include dental history, chief concern, imagery, radiographs, etc. Review can involve recommendations, treatment plan, specialist referral, etc.
Whenever a dental expert takes part in this kind of activity, they are engaging in teledentistry.
Key Principle: Privacy & Security
Much of this activity is governed by HIPAA, the federal regulation for electronic healthcare transactions. With increasing focus on privacy and security in the digital world, it is highly important to be mindful of the duty we have to patients and their protected health information (PHI).
When engaging in teledental activities, always be sure to use secure and encrypted communication systems that guarantee the privacy of the patient. Reading the fine print is of particular importance here — always ensure access to PHI is as limited as feasibly possible.
Key Principle: Communication
The internet is wonderful because it enhances communication across the globe. In the case of teledentistry it can allow access to underserved populations (remember the DENTEX collaboration) or simply increase engagement for different demographics.
However, when communicating with patients online it is important to be aware of the limitations of remote communication. Take an extra moment to explain something that you may only mention in passing in the office. Reinforce the key recommendations you make so the patient understands the importance of the action they need to take.
Key Principle: Action Focused
When patients make contact via teledentistry, they’re demonstrating an eagerness and willingness to improve their oral health. It’s important to lean into this and further motivate the patient to take action and make the improvements they need.
At Toothpic, our network dentists are therefore encouraged to always give patients actions to take both in the home and next time they are in the dental office. Giving patients clear actions to take out of every teledental consultation empowers them to take control over their own dental journey and greatly improve their health outcomes.
Your Dentist In Your Pocket
Teledentistry on a smartphone
“My dad is a dentist, and while working late one night, I was
concerned about a gap I’d noticed in my lower gum, so I called him
to ask what I should do. Of course, he couldn’t help over the phone
but suggested I send him a photo. On doing so, he called straight
back with a diagnosis and recommendation and mentioned how
the quality of the photo was as good as those taken by professional
dental cameras. That’s when I realized how much technology could
help dentists and patients. The original Toothpic was born.”
Mark Moore (Toothpic CEO)
What is Toothpic?
With Toothpic, patients take 1–6 photos of their mouth, teeth, and gums on their smartphone. Along with some dental history and habit questions, this is sent to a Toothpic Network dentist licensed in their state. The dentist annotates the patient’s photos, and this is returned to the patient as a dental report in the Toothpic app.
How can I get involved in the dental network?
Toothpic has a dental network across the United States and often experiences demand for new dentists in certain states. Signup at www.oraleye.com/join/ and one of our representatives will be in touch or reach out to the Network Manager on network@toothpic.com to express your interest.
Did you find this piece useful? What more would you like to know? Let us know in the comments how your experience has been with social media and get in touch with us if you need any more advice.
