How Teledentistry Benefits Dentists AND Patients

According to a survey from invisible aligners company Byte.com, almost 1 in 3 Americans haven’t been to the dentist since before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The main reason for that staggering figure? Cost.

While the study mentioned was small, a follow-up story by USA TODAY reported similar findings after speaking with a number of dentists. With inflation on the rise, dentists around the country worry that number may increase even further. 

People usually resolve to cut back spending in several areas when under financial pressure – and dental care spending, in particular, is vulnerable as it is not always considered a necessity. 

Before the pandemic, dentists used teledentistry technology mainly to offer virtual dental consultations to patients living in rural communities or those with chronic health conditions and disabilities, including elderly patients and those with mobility challenges. 

However, teledentistry has become part and parcel of many dental practices, regularly offered as a convenient alternative to in-person appointments. 

The Benefits of Connecting Online with Patients 

Teledentistry connects dentists with patients through smartphones, laptops, or any other device with an internet connection and a camera feature. 

Here are the top benefits to connecting with patients online:

Great overall experience: When a patient can easily reach you while experiencing a dental emergency or simply to have a one-on-one consultation without leaving their home, it can make for a positive experience that keeps the patient coming back. 

A wider pool of patients: Dentists can treat patients no matter where they live, which gives you access to patients who would otherwise struggle to find a reputable practice. 

More patients per day: With consultations and pre-screenings done remotely, dentists have more time in their schedule to serve more in-office patients. 

Easier post-op follow-ups: Dentists can check up on their patients through video calls to hear and see how their recovery is going, instead of requiring patients to come for an in-person visit. 

Faster second opinions: Dentists can consult other specialists remotely whenever they have unique or challenging cases, therefore offer the best possible service to patients. 

How To Market Teledentistry at Your Practice 

More dentists and patients are adapting to technology faster than before. In fact, the National Institute of Health found that 97% of patients were happy with the virtual services they received, and 96% said they would use these services again in the future. 

However, as a dentist, you should consider marketing your teledentistry services to encourage the community to prioritize dental health treatments.

To do that, you can drive new patients to your practice by:

1. Update your dental website with information about virtual appointments, including general guidelines about how your teledentistry service works.
2. Optimize your website with high traffic keywords. 
3. Include calls-to-action on your landing page and other relevant pages to lead patients to book their virtual appointments now. 
4. Using social media to market your teledentistry services, interact with the community, and answer any questions about your practice. 
5. Set up a Google Ads campaign to ensure your teledentistry services appear when patients search for appointments in your area. 
6. Offer free corporate virtual screenings to reach employees working remotely in your community and may need a check-up or emergency dental care. 

Most US states are open to teledentistry adoption, but each may have its own additional regulations, so implementing teledentistry technology is only the first step in growing your practice. 

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