'Patients are demanding teledentistry'
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Telemedicine in dentistry and many other medical specialties existed for years prior to COVID, but the pandemic set off greater awareness and demand for virtual care. Leah Sigler, RDH, president of The TeleDentists, spoke with Dental Bite about the company's roots long before 2020 and how their work is evolving today. -Carrie Pallardy
What was the teledentistry space like a decade ago?
We were the first teledental consultation company ever. Teledentistry was only asynchronous before our company. A hygienist would go out with a camera and portable X-rays and send the photos and X-rays to a dentist at a different location.
When we started The TeleDentists, we had to develop our own boutique platform to perform virtual consultation that was fully remote. There was no competition. Fast forward to today, and other companies have cropped up to essentially mimic what we provide.
How did the pandemic impact TeleDentists and teledentistry in general?
Three weeks after the COVID shutdown began in March of 2020, we had a contract with Cigna to provide teledentistry for their members. Three weeks after that, we had a contract with Anthem to provide care for their members. Additionally in 2020, our direct-to-consumer growth was 1,500% that year alone.
We still see growth and new avenues to use teledentistry. We have identified 15 different silos, including employer clinics and urgent care options, in which we can use teledentistry and are implementing our services to provide immediate care.
How do you view the current state of teledentistry regulation? Are there any particular challenges shaping the legislative landscape for virtual care?
Because of mail-in orthodontia companies, orthodontists have lobbied to restrict virtual care to reduce their competition. The language for their proposals often reduces emergency access care as well. We continue to elevate and educate the public and lawmakers on the benefits of teledentistry.
How do you view the future of teledentistry? What opportunities could there be for patients and providers to participate in virtual care?
Our mission is to provide oral health care access 24/7/365 wherever a dentist is needed!! BIG job ahead.
We have recently partnered with PointClickCare to offer teledentistry in senior care facilities, over 22,000 locations across the nation. We are still working with large dental payer insurance companies and hope to be a covered service in the medical division as well. Our pilot program to offer teledentistry in emergency departments and urgent care is thriving. The sky is the limit!
Edited for clarity and brevity.
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