The state of dental health in the US is in a steady decline. With the rise of oral disease sweeping the nation—especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—dental professionals are in serious need of new ways to improve case acceptance and patient engagement. That’s where digital innovations can step in to help mitigate the surge in disease affecting close to 50% of adults over the age of 30.1 The good news is that the technologies available to both dentists and patients have advanced to the point of bridging those gaps and leading the population toward better oral health.
The problem is not the lack of availability of technologies that can provide these new and innovative tools, but rather, not fully understanding or adopting the ones that are available. For example, dental health care can be improved by using various technologies such as scanners, intraoral cameras, CBCT, high-speed internet, and animated educational platforms. In the era of busy dentists and intimidating dental procedures, these tools are saviors when it comes to helping patients and dental practices.
Digital treatment planning is the next step in the evolution of dentistry, and it can be a great service to dentists and patients alike.
Technological tools to provide patients with better treatment plans
For the most part, patients don’t see much of the data we collect to help diagnose oral disease. This could be due to lack of time or the complexities required to share this information in the dental setting. When it comes to digital sharing, showing patients their images, x-rays, and scans could help them better understand the type of care they need and its importance in healing.
Developing a treatment plan that tackles all angles—such as preappointment instructions, the dental procedure itself, and aftercare—can be difficult to do in one short appointment. But through the use of technology, patients can explore their dental health from the comfort of their own home, think about questions they may not have if they were in the office, and lessen the fear that may go along with an impending procedure. Research has shown that 30%–60% of the information provided to patients during their in-office dental appointments is completely forgotten, while 50% of the recommendations made by dentists are not adhered to.2
The digital tools mentioned here can help increase better oral health behavior by delivering adequate oral health education to patients while they are not in the dental chair.
Digital treatment planning and provider collaboration
Periodontal disease does not only affect oral health. Research has shown that oral health plays an important role in systemic diseases. Specific diseases that have been linked to periodontal disease include cancer, diabetes, respiratory disease, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive impairment, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.3 Patients often miss the connection between whole-body wellness and oral health. This is where physician collaboration is essential.
In the past, collaboration between medical professionals was not an easy task. It took dedication and time to meet with patients’ primary care physicians or any other professionals on their health-care team to discuss the link between overall health and dental health. With the advances in technology, physician-dentist collaboration has never been easier. The ability to communicate with medical providers digitally about patients can lead to a seamless treatment plan covered by all members of the health-care team.4 Sharing findings digitally across boards and attending virtual meetings can improve workflow within those partnerships.
Oftentimes, cases may be too complex for just one medical professional to tackle. For example, if a patient is suffering from periodontal disease that is causing a systemic disease, both medical and dental professionals will need to contribute their findings to approach recovery optimally. Without the implementation of these digital tools that facilitate collaboration in a timely manner, delays in treatment could occur. With digital sharing, health professionals can provide efficient, timely, and accurate care all while using a HIPAA-compliant platform that protects patients’ privacy as well as their health.
Increasing patient acceptance through digital means
While the advancement in digital tools and collaborative abilities has increased with innovations in the medical, dental, and virtual communications industries, it does not guarantee that patients will accept a treatment plan or follow along with instructions to ensure a full recovery from their periodontal disease. Without patients agreeing to their recovery plan, the course of treatment will always remain incomplete. Patients’ reluctance to accept treatment is largely due to their misunderstanding of the problem and its severity.5 Digital tools can change this issue completely.
There are a variety of ways dental professionals can relay patient information. Waiting areas and treatment rooms were traditionally the best means to do this. However, digital tools are now creating optimal alternatives to patient education tactics. The at-home delivery of infographics, pictures, and data relating to patients’ oral disease, as well as the introduction of collaborative health care between dentists and primary care physicians, can give patients all the information they need to truly understand why a specific treatment plan was chosen and what they can do to help carry it out successfully.
Increasing cases of periodontal disease combined with a lack of understanding of just how important oral health is to overall health can cause some to experience difficulties with their patients. By embracing the future of dentistry and combining digital tools with collaborative efforts and patient education, dental professionals can begin to capably tackle the growing number of cases in an efficient and time-saving manner—all while improving communication and relationships with their patients. In turn, this could improve patient acceptance of prescribed treatment plans.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the July 2021 print edition of Dental Economics.
References
- Periodontal disease. Division of Oral Health. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated July 10, 2013. Accessed April 26, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/conditions/periodontal-disease.html
- Wilder RS, Bray KS. Improving periodontal outcomes: merging clinical and behavioral science. Periodontol 2000. 2016;71(1):65-81. doi:10.1111/prd.12125
- Winning L, Linden G. Periodontitis and systemic disease. BDJ Team. 2015;2:15163. doi: 10.1038/bdjteam.2015.163
- Braun PA, Cusick A. Collaboration between medical providers and dental hygienists in pediatric health care. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2016;16(Suppl):59-67. doi:10.1016/j.jebdp.2016.01.017
- Jablow M. Patient education software can increase treatment plan acceptance. Inside Dentistry. 2008;4(8). Accessed April 26, 2021. https://www.aegisdentalnetwork.com/id/2008/09/technology-integration-patient-education-software-can-increase-treatment-plan-acceptance
Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH, a practicing hygienist, brings more than 20 years of experience to her roles in dentistry. A graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s of health science and the University of Bridgeport with a master’s in dental hygiene education, she focuses on expanding her colleagues’ knowledge in all aspects of health care. Her passion for dentistry and its connection to overall health extends to her community and global efforts. She is cofounder and cohost of the longest-running podcast for dental hygienists, A Tale of Two Hygienists, cofounder of Level Up Infection Prevention and TriviaDent, and client success manager for MouthWatch.
