Australasian Dentist Magazine Sept-Oct 2021

Category 12 Australasian Dentist E very dentist knows that delaying dental check-ups can have a detrimental impact on overall health. With COVID-19 staying with us for a while, almost every dental patient has or may have to place their in-person appointments on hold – which could put them at risk of anxiety and uncertainty concerning their treatment needs. Furthermore, a recent U.S. study suggests as a high as 1 in 2 people are delaying treatment 1 or, as a recent Australian study indicated, did not see a dental professional when needed dental care due to COVID-19 – in comparison to the pre-pandemic period. 2 For the majority of patients, virtual dental care is not a futuristic idea. Virtual care in itself is not a new concept. It has proved to be beneficial for connecting patients with providers, for routine screening, and evaluating their treatment progress. And so, it’s not surprising that even before the pandemic, around 78% of patients said they were likely to use teledentistry services within the next 5 years. 3 Out of necessity, and across many other areas of healthcare, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of virtual care in dentistry. And there is an increased consumer willingness to make this form of virtual care work for them. Dentists are adapting to new ways of working, and virtual care is fast becoming a key tool for practices. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many Invisalign doctors around the world pieced together video calls, texts, and patient-submitted photos through a variety of platforms to help monitor patient progress where clinically appropriate, reduce in-office appointments, and help ensure continuity of patient care during treatment. In response, Align Technology launched a set of digital tools to support doctors. These solutions included the Invisalign Virtual Care and Invisalign Virtual Appointment tools that were built into the Invisalign Doctor Site (IDS). Invisalign Virtual Care can be used for remote consultations, assessment of treatment progress, and to communicate adjustments or concerns during treatment. Patients use the intuitive My Invisalign app to stay engaged in their treatment and convey progress photos to their doctor, who reviews these photos on their IDS and communicates any needed instructions to patients along their Invisalign treatment journey. There are, of course, instances where teledentistry will not be appropriate and an in-person consultation is clinically necessary. However, Invisalign Virtual Care helps dentists stay connected with their patients and enables them to quickly and efficiently tell their patients when they need to come into the practice for an appointment. Invisalign Virtual Care is a valuable tool for digitising practices and offering continuity of care to patients. Offering Invisalign Virtual Care helps to address the anxiety patients may have around their Invisalign treatment, which can result in them being more motivated, and confident in achieving their desired result. Provide care from anywhere. Invisalign Virtual Care is completely integrated into Invisalign workflow through the Invisalign Doctor Site (IDS) provided free of charge for Invisalign Providers. Dental practitioners can use Virtual Care from to connect with patients and to help ensure their treatment remains on track. u For more information contact your Invisalign Practice Development Manager, or visit www.invisalign.com.au/provider/ digital-transformation to find out more about the benefits of digitising your practice with the Invisalign system. References 1 Kranz AM, Gahlon G, Dick AW, Stein BD. Characteristics of US Adults Delaying Dental Care Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. JDR Clin Trans Res. 2021 Jan;6(1):8-14. doi: 10.1177/2380084420962778. Epub 2020 Sep 27. PMID: 32985322; PMCID: PMC7527908. 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics. Patient Experiences in Australia. https://www.abs . gov.au/statistics/health/health-services/ patient-experiences-australia-summary- findings/latest-release Accessed August 2021 3 Ivanova, P. Teledentistry: Survey Shows Patients Are Ready to Welcome It. Dentavox. https://dentavox.dentacoin.com/ blog/teledentistry-surteledentistry-survey- shows-patients-are-ready-to-welcome-it/ Accessed August 2021 Connected; convenient; confident. Dental patients are onboard with the virtual care trajectory n ws APPLE + ALOE We explored flavour combinations. And we discovered apple, aloe vera and fresh mint. CURAPROX 950 ppm Fluoride .... Apple banner.indd 1 23/11/2020 2:32:43 PM