During the pandemic, access to care has been challenging across the board. No more so than dentistry, with the requirements for masks and the risk of becoming afflicted, access to dentistry became uncommon. While this has been less true in recent months, access to dentistry is still sparse in many places due to their rural location. Due to the debt that dentists have compiled over the years, rural areas are less cost-effective at aiding an orthodontist’s income due to the small populace.
Whether you’re worried about aligning your teeth or just getting some crowns in place, needing a dental professional who knows what they’re doing is vital. However, due to the location of some areas, they don’t have access to the same amount of resources that a large city might.
Ways That Teledentistry Aids Dental Patients
Whether dealing with a pandemic or living in a low-income area, access to orthodontic care is vital for everyone. With the introduction of telecommunication into the orthodontic field, those in low-income areas or those too ill to make a trip to the office can easily access their orthodontist through the internet.
With many notable benefits to the community, teledentistry creates avenues of access to those who desperately need it but have little to no access to an orthodontist. It provides flexibility in communications, scheduling, and pricing, enabling low-income families to afford the care they once had limited access to. Here are some of the ways that teledentistry can aid dental patients!
- Aiding In Weather Crises – One of the most significant ways teledentistry can provide services to those needing them is during a weather crisis. During a weather crisis, families may not have immediate access to the necessary dental or otherwise resources. With teledentistry, those families will have access to resources they require within an immediate time space without having to leave home or shelter.
- Cost Effectiveness – Studies in the last four years have shown a median difference in costs for teledentistry to be around ten percent lower than that of an in-person appointment. This median price difference enables low-income families to afford more dental care options without breaking the bank.
- Broadening Access To Dental Care – With the internet is now an integral part of our everyday lives, having access to care whenever and wherever we need it is becoming increasingly important. Teledentistry broadens the accessibility of dental care to those who may have had limited or non-existent access before by utilizing telecommunications, removing barriers that once caused issues for many.
Consulting Your Dentist About Teledentistry
With each year, more clinics across the board are adopting teledental treatments for patients. Reaching out to your orthodontist to gain information about their services is an excellent way to ensure you have all available options in times of need. With teledentistry, you no longer have to worry about inconvenient appointments or costly trips that would have otherwise needed to be canceled or rescheduled to a more convenient date and time that works for you.