The TeleDentists has launched virtual dental visits for patients who need immediate consultations for urgent oral and dental problems and face-to-face next-day appointments when needed.
Patients use their laptop, tablet, or smart phone to connect via video with a dentist who diagnoses the problem and gets them started on remediation, which may include an e-script for an antibiotic and/or non-narcotic pain medication. When follow-up care is needed, next-day appointments are booked with a local dentist.
“We are solving an unmet market need. Nearly 6 million people annually experience an urgent dental problem and lack access to a regular dentist or are unable to find a dentist who can see them quickly,” said TeleDentists cofounder Maria Kunstadtler, DDS.
According to the TeleDentists, there are more than 2 million emergency department visits for nontraumatic dental problems in the United States each year. These numbers have increased over the past decade, without a commensurate increase in on-site solutions, the company says.
Emergency department management of dental problems consists primarily of pain management with analgesics and infection management with antibiotics. Emergency departments are not equipped to provide definitive dental solutions.
“Forty percent of Americans haven’t visited a dentist within the last three years and neglect oral care, which should be a primary focus of good healthcare,” said TeleDentists cofounder Michael Sigler, DDS.
“Individuals with urgent dental problems go to hospital ERs or urgent care clinics, which lack dental/oral care knowledge. Patients get a narcotic pain pill and are told to find a dentist. Symptoms are addressed, but their problem is not resolved,” Sigler said.
The service also benefits employers, plan sponsors, and insurers by avoiding unnecessary, expensive emergency department visits and closing the gap in care coverage for groups with high-deductible health plans or those with no dental insurance, the company reports.
“Our solution gets patients the immediate help they need, saving time and money while delivering pain relief, speedy access to a dentist, and information about the importance of oral health,” said Gary Wald, CEO of the TeleDentists.
Also, the company says, installing its cloud-based service enables hospitals and urgent care facilities to access specialists who can treat these oral care level-one problems at a fraction of the cost that would be incurred if treated by the emergency department doctor.
“We are currently collaborating with health systems, leading virtual care companies, sellers, and resellers of telemedicine services serving insurance payers, self-insured entities, senior living centers, colleges, and universities that value this level of patient care,” said Wald.
“As we expand our corporate footprint, we welcome new customers, strategic partners, and additional investors,” Wald said.
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