In March 2020, the entire world changed. For those of us in the dental profession, the changes were immediately evident; most dental offices were unable to continue providing care to patients, interaction with aerosols and other oral fluids was considered incredibly dangerous, and provider morale was running at an all-time low.
Luckily for us, there was an answer: mobile and teledentistry.
In the last couple of generations, Americans’ relationship with dental care has shifted. What was once considered routine is now a question of whether or not you can access it; a travesty to our society as a whole.
Before the pandemic, most dental professionals were of a similar mindset: getting patients into the office for inspection was crucial to the operation. But we soon realized that this wasn’t true. It has become possible to provide high-quality dental healthcare without the need for an in-person visit.
This is where teledentistry came in.
Without the ability to see patients in person, dental professionals were forced to provide care through other avenues, such as videos, photos, and even calls. This opened the profession to so many possibilities that it became a revitalization of the dental industry as a whole.
In a similar vein, mobile dentistry also became crucial in providing services during the quarantine. Because of the dental professionals’ ability to come to them, patients felt generally less anxious about the dangers of receiving care.
The shift in mindset around the world of mobile and teledentistry as a whole has given us a golden opportunity.
The Future of Dentistry: Convenience and Access
At this point in the history of mobile and teledentistry, there is a clear niche most practitioners work in: older folks and Gen X-ers/Millennials.
But this is not the direction that dentistry is headed; there is so much untapped potential in the concierge dental service industry.
Partially due to the pandemic, the technology surrounding mobile dentistry has evolved, which is opening the doors for a sleeker and more streamlined business model. Dental professionals are now able to use apps, cloud-based health records, and other emerging technologies to better assist their patients.
There has never been a better time to join the mobile and teledentistry movement. With my 15 years of experience in the field, I can help your business break into the world of mobile dentistry or expand your brick-and-mortar operation to provide teledentistry services.
The pivotal moment is here: you can either fall behind or work to stay relevant with your practice, your career, and your patients.