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Volume3 Issue6
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ssues and
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eople
meon their app,wecould talkabout their concerns, and theymight evenbeable to takea
picturewithan intraoral camerahookedup to their phone. Once they’re in theofficeand
adiagnosis ismade, I couldprovidean interactiveeducationpackage that allows them to
communicatewithmeabout the implicationsof their treatment choices. That’s the level of
interaction that teledentistrywould support.
With theproliferationof dental therapists in theU.S. and theexpanded scopeof dental
hygienists,wehave toaskourselveswhat the roleof adentist isnow?Our expertiseas
dentists is indiagnosis, communications andpatient education. Teledentistryapplications
should support thedentist in sharing their expertisewith thepatient andother healthcare
providers.
Howcandentalassociationshelppreparedentists for teledentistry?
Thenumber one thingwecando is share knowledgeabout practices andaboutwhat
you’redoing. I think thereneeds tobe recognition thatweneed to support bigdata in
dentistry.Wehaveagoldmineof knowledge inour practicemanagement solutions that
couldprovideuswithexcellent decision-making tools, andyet associationsdonot seem
toaccess that knowledgeor knowhow touse it effectively.Whydowenot have real-time
analytics for theprofession?Real timeanalyticswouldhelpadentist answer the following
questions in real timewithcertainty: Am I payingmy staffproperwages for thearea I’m in?
Am I competitive?Howmanypatientsdidyou see, andwhatwere thediagnoses? It’s about
connectingour practices together andunderstandinghow to lookat thedata.
Doyou thinksolopractitionerswillbereluctant tosharedata?
I understandwhy somemay feel nervous about it, but inanerawherecorporatedentistry
is starting to takeoff, thosecorporatedentistryagencies aremakingdecisionsbased
onnumbers frommanypractices at once. So ifwewant to stay in theageof the solo
practitioner being inchargeof their owndomain, theyhave tobeempoweredwith the
knowledgeof their groupor association. Indentistrywedon’t have theanalyticsbase that
wouldenableus toprovidebetter services in the long run. Theproblemwithpractisingas a
solopractitioner now is that you’reblind to the rest of theworld.
Whatcandentistsdo toprepare for teledentistry?
One thing is tochangeourmindset.Weareno longer theownersof dental knowledge.
Googleownsdental knowledge thesedays; anypatient can lookupwhat afilling is,what a
crown is,what aperiodontal procedure is. Rather,weare the facilitatorsof knowledge.We
facilitatebyhelpingpatientsunderstand the implicationsof the treatment theyarechoosing
or not choosing, bymakingaproper diagnosis andproviding treatment options. It’s really
understanding theneedsof your patients and trying to support them; howcan I empower
thepatientwithmore knowledge,more ideas.
a
Towatch the interview
withDr. Glaizel visit
Our expertise as dentists is indiagnosis,
communications and patient education.
Teledentistryapplications should support the
dentist in sharing their expertisewith the patient
and otherhealth care providers.
