How Good is Virtual Dental Care?

The GoodCheckup® App is Showing Just how Good Virtual Dental Care Can Be

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, much discussion has been opened up regarding Telemedicine. Looking back, it almost seems amusing that in the technologically advanced 21st Century we are just now exploring remote patient-clinician contact.

The pandemic put fire under the seats of healthcare providers. Now, although things are returning to normal, some people have grown accustomed to the convenience of virtual consultations, and it seems less and less reasonable to throw off one’s entire day for minor issues.

While initially counter-intuitive, it should come as no surprise that this extends to the dental field. Virtual dentistry is on the verge of becoming standard procedure, and apps like Good Checkup are soon to revolutionize the industry.

But this raises some questions and concerns: Just how good is virtual dental care? Is it really possible to manage your dental health remotely? The answer is a resounding, “absolutely!”

Of course, there are cases where you can’t help but visit your local dentist (routine cleanings, surgical procedures, fillings, etc. must be taken care of in-person). But when we get down to brass tacks, a considerable portion of dentist visits are to answer quick questions or determine whether or not any further treatment is even necessary.

This is where having a virtual dentist can alleviate the disruption usually caused by regular dentist appointments. Perhaps you’re just concerned about a small chip, the position of your bite, or have some questions regarding daily oral health maintenance.

In cases such as these, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that you should – in this technological age – be able to take care of this with quick scheduling and a brief smartphone correspondence.

In other cases, particularly when dealing with children and adults who have dental anxiety, or perhaps when patients have disabilities or behavioral challenges, having a virtual dental appointment might actually be preferable to the stress and constraints of office visits. Naturally this depends on the situation.