Incorporating Teledentistry for Better Chronic Disease Outcomes

Now more than ever, dental providers are on the front lines of chronic disease. How? Before the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that older adults were more likely to visit a doctor than a dentist. Even though older adults with chronic conditions were more likely to have severe tooth loss than persons without chronic conditions, national data showed dental visits lagged behind medical.

Now more than ever, dental providers are on the front lines of chronic disease. How? Before the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that older adults were more likely to visit a doctor than a dentist. Even though older adults with chronic conditions were more likely to have severe tooth loss than persons without chronic conditions, national data showed dental visits lagged behind medical.

Since early 2020, what has changed since the beginning of the pandemic? Use of telehealth for primary care and teledentistry, that’s what. Secondly, since chronic disease monitoring may be impacted compared to in-office primary care visits, dentists can fill in the gaps.