Pediatric Teledentistry in Sacramento, CA

Teledentistry is a newer method of providing dental care to patients who may have increased difficult accessing traditional dental care or who are looking for more convenient options by providing care remotely. This type of dental care allows for patients to use video calls and online communication to consult with a qualified dental professional to receive advice, diagnoses of a variety of potential oral health problems, as well as receive prescriptions for medications or referrals to other dental specialists. Dentists can use these virtual appointments to work with their patients (or parents of patients that are children) to determine treatment plans without requiring that the parent visit the dental clinic in person. Video chat can be used, as well as the exchange of images and information to provide both the patient and dentist with all necessary information for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

One of the most significant benefits of accessing pediatric teledentistry over having to visit the dental office in person for each appointment is that the appointments can be far more convenient, allowing for children to miss fewer days of school for appointments to minimize interruptions to their school day or falling behind, and allowing them to engage in more extra-curricular activities. This also means that parents will be able to reduce the amount of time that they have to take off from work in order to take their children to appointments.

Another benefit is that teledentistry can be offered to more patients, including those who are located in remote areas or who may not have access to a nearby dental office during the times in which an appointment would typically be scheduled. It is very common for disadvantaged families or communities to not have access to preventative care including pediatric dentistry, so offering virtual appointments including preventative dental care ensures that those who are unable to access a physical office, maybe those with disabilities that make them unable to travel frequently, or those who simply cannot afford to take the time off from their daily lives to schedule an in-person appointment for preventative care have access to essential care.

Additionally, many children are fearful or anxious about visiting the dentist, so teledentistry helps to dispel and minimize some of that fear by allowing the patient to receive care outside of a clinical setting in the comfort of their own home. The virtual appointments also are incredibly useful during more urgent or emergency dental situations to help the parents of patients determine if an in-person visit is required, what the parent can do to reduce pain or complications for their child’s condition until professional help can be sought and can ultimately reduces the number of in-office visits that end up not being necessary.

Pediatric teledentistry is a very effective and beneficial component to essential dental care, providing access to high-quality dental care for many patients who would otherwise not have access. It is considered to be an excellent and effective complementary and supplemental service provided by dental professionals, but it is important that patients realize teledentistry is not intended to be a replacement or substitute receiving dental care in person.

While dentists are able to diagnose and recommend treatment just as effectively through virtual appointments that provide real-time imaging of the patients’ teeth and gums, regularly scheduled professional cleanings and other types of treatments are also very important in maintaining oral health, so patients will still need to continue visiting their dentist in person to receive professional cleanings, fillings, fluoride treatments, receive x-rays, and access any other treatments they may require to maintain their oral health.

There are many uses for teledentistry, although it does still have some limitations as patients are unable to receive physical treatments for conditions that require the expertise of a dental professional or other type of specialist. An example of teledentistry being effective includes identifying a source of pain in the teeth, such as with a cavity, to determine the urgency for which the patient should receive care to know how soon an appointment should be scheduled. Another example could be for patients who have recently received a treatment and are unsure if a follow-up treatment is required before their next check-up, with a virtual visit providing sufficient information to determine if the treatment has been effective and requires no further interventions. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 6030 S Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA 95822. We serve patients from Sacramento CA, Lemon Hill CA, Pocket CA, Meadowview CA, Greenhaven CA, Hollywood Park CA, and surrounding areas.