Dental Research and Oral Health

Teledentistry

Teledentistry is the use of communication technology, including audio and video interaction, to remotely provide dental care services such as consultation, diagnosis, and patient education, according to the American Teledentistry Association. Learn more about the different ways teledentistry provides dental care and its potential role in clear aligner treatment. Through teledentistry, “dentists can meet their patients virtually in order to evaluate their conditions, present treatment plans, offer dental education, prescribe medication, and meet for pre-op and post-op appointments,” Mahnaz Rashti, DDS, a periodontist in Beverly Hills, tells WebMD Connect to Care. This assures that the patient can see their dentist in a timely manner without needing to physically be in the office,” Rashti says.  

According to the American Dental Association, Teledentistry is usually provided in four different ways:

• Live video (synchronous): This involves live, two-way interaction between a patient and their dental health expert via video call.
• Store and forward (asynchronous): This involves the transfer of recorded health information like photographs, x-rays, and digital impressions to providers via a secured communication channel.
• Remote patient monitoring (RPM): This form of monitoring collects your personal dental health information at one location and securely transmits it electronically to a practitioner at another location, for use in future dental care.
• Mobile health (mHealth): This form of teledentistry uses mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, computers, and personal digital assistants to provide dental health education to the public.