What is Teledentistry?

Teledentistry brings dental care into the digital age. Instead of scheduling an office visit for a question or concern, you can connect with dental professionals from your phone, tablet, or laptop. 

You might:

• Snap photos of your teeth.

• Record a short video explaining your concern. 

• Share digital scans from an aligner kit. 

A dental professional reviews everything remotely, then creates a personalized treatment to address your needs. 

Of course, teledentistry does not replace every dental visit. You’ll still need to see your dentist for cleanings, fillings, or certain procedures. However, for medium-priority tasks like consultations or aligner progress check-ins, teledentistry makes getting care simpler and more convenient—without compromising expertise. 

1. Improved Access to Care

For some, dental care is just a short drive away. However, for millions of Americans, that drive can take hours (if they can manage it at all). In fact, nearly 57 million people live in areas with a shortage of dental health professionals, leaving entire communities without reliable access to oral care. 

Reaching Underserved Areas

This is where teledentistry shines. With it, you can access quality dental care from your kitchen table, including: 

• Virtual consultations that reduce travel time and costs
  

• Remote screenings to catch dental issues early, before they become emergencies
  

• Follow-up check-ins to ensure treatments are working, even from afar 

Accessibility for Homebound Patients

Access isn’t just about distance. Many elderly patients or individuals with mobility limitations struggle to leave their homes. For them, teledentistry offers dignity and continuity of care. It means discussing concerns, managing chronic dental conditions, and getting professional guidance without the exhaustion or risk of travel. 

2. Lower Costs

In the United States, more than half of the adults avoid the dentist due to financial barriers.

Reducing Patient Expenses

Virtual visits are generally less expensive than traditional in-person appointments. Teledentistry providers can offer consultations at a fraction of the usual cost without needing a physical exam room, front desk staff, or costly sterilization protocols. 

This means lower out-of-pocket expenses for routine care. Instead of paying hundreds for an assessment, a quick virtual consultation might cost as little as $100. 

Savings on Healthcare Systems

The savings don’t end there. In the long run, teledentistry helps reduce the burden of disease on the healthcare system. By catching small problems early through virtual screenings, fewer patients end up in emergency rooms with severe dental infections or pain. 

At an individual level, teledentistry allows patients to get timely advice and preventive care—instead of waiting until a small cavity turns into a root canal. 

3. Convenience and Time Savings

Time is a commodity most of us feel we never have enough of. Between work, school, family, and everything else on your calendar, squeezing in a dental appointment can feel impossible. 

Teledentistry helps solve that problem by bringing the dental consultation to you. 

Minimizing Time Away from Work or School

Instead of taking half a day off work or pulling your child out of school for a quick check-up, you can schedule a virtual appointment during lunch or between meetings. 

With teledentistry, dental care expands to fit your life. 

Saving Time on Travel and Waiting

Once you start seeing a virtual dental specialist, there’s no commute, no parking hassle, and no sitting in a crowded waiting area. You simply log in at your appointment time and connect with your provider. This saves time and reduces situational stress, making it easier to prioritize your oral health even on your busiest days. 

In today’s world, that kind of convenience is care in itself. 

4. Timely Consultations and Early Detection

When it comes to your health, timing can make all the difference. This is especially true in dentistry, where small problems can escalate quickly. 

Early Diagnosis of Potentially Serious Conditions

Take oral cancer, for example. Most people know that early detection can give them a relatively positive prognosis. Yet, many ignore small sores or changes in their mouths because booking an appointment feels like a hassle. 

One of the most significant teledentistry benefits is that you can immediately show these concerns to a dental professional through a video consultation. Then, that professional can just as quickly recommend a possible treatment. 

Facilitating Quick Access to Second Opinions

If you need a second opinion about a complex procedure, don’t wait weeks for a specialist appointment. A virtual consultation can easily connect you with a professional, helping you make informed decisions about your care quickly.

5. Enhanced Collaboration and Efficiency

Good dental care is often a team effort. Teledentistry helps your dental professionals (dentists, orthodontists, specialists) work together more effectively to create a connected circle of care around you. 

Better Coordination Between Dentists and Specialists

Think about complex cases, like someone needing orthodontic work with periodontal care. Traditionally, coordinating between these different caregivers would mean weeks of appointments, referrals, and long waits. 

With teledentistry, a dentist can instantly consult with an orthodontist or oral surgeon by digitally sharing scans and treatment notes. This allows for: 

• More informed treatment planning 

• Faster decision-making 

• Fewer gaps in care that could affect results

Monitoring Patient Progress Remotely

Teledentistry is also changing how dentists keep an eye on patient progress. Regular check-ins are key to ensuring everything stays on track for treatments like at-home teeth aligners or managing gum disease. But with teledentistry, these check-ins may look more like this: 

• Take a few photos of your teeth. 

• Upload them to an app. 

• Get feedback from your provider within days (sometimes even hours).

• Coordinate with your entire dental team of professionals for next steps forward.

This remote monitoring keeps patients engaged in their treatment, too. Studies have shown that compliance improves significantly when patients, especially elderly ones, feel more connected to their providers. To see a deep-dive of these comparable treatments, learn more about the difference between in-office vs. at home clear aligners.

6. Reduced Anxiety and Increased Comfort

For many people, the thought of visiting the dentist is filled with anxiety, and the stats support this: Nearly one-third of all Americans experience some level of dental fear, with 12% suffering from extreme dental phobia. Children, too, often feel nervous about sitting in a dental chair, surrounded by unfamiliar tools and sounds. 

Fortunately, teledentistry provides a solution.

Easier Consultations for Children and Anxious Patients

The best way to ease dental fears is by allowing the patient a degree of control over the process, which is exactly what teledentistry does. 

Virtual consultations, made from the comfort of a patient’s own home, create a gentler introduction to dental care. Patients can ask questions freely and build trust with their provider before stepping into a clinic for treatment. 

Using Digital Tools to Manage Behavior

Digital tools can also reduce anxiety, especially for pediatric patients. Some teledentistry platforms use animated explainers or interactive visuals to teach children what to expect during treatment. For example, a short cartoon video might show how night guards work or why brushing is important after sugary snacks. 

When children understand what’s happening, fear often gives way to curiosity. Meanwhile, for anxious adults, screen-sharing images of their teeth and discussing treatment options step-by-step can offer a sense of ease.

7. Maintained Quality of Care

Some patients worry that virtual dental care might mean lower-quality dental treatment, but teledentistry benefits make care just as reliable as in-clinic consultations. Consider a few examples:

• If a general dentist spots a potential issue during a check-up, they can quickly refer the patient for an advanced scan. 

• Digital records, including X-rays or intraoral photos, can be shared instantly via virtual appointments. 

• Providers can use 3D scans and digital impressions to create personalized plans. 

And the numbers back it up: One study found that sensitivity (how correctly a professional identifies individuals who have a particular disease) and specificity (how correctly a professional identifies individuals who do not have a particular disease) for teledental referrals and diagnostic treatment planning ranged from 80-88% and 73-95%, respectively. 

For patients, this high quality of care ultimately means greater peace of mind.

How SmileSet Leverages Teledentistry for a Better Experience

At SmileSet, teledentistry is at the heart of how we care for your smile. By combining professional oversight with the flexibility of virtual care, we make dental care accessible and easy. From your first consultation to your final clear retainer, you can feel confident that your treatment is backed by expertise, even when you’re not in a dentist’s office. 

SmileSet’s teledentistry model brings professional-grade smile care straight to you. Explore our products and services today for a brighter smile tomorrow.

Sources: 

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Disparities in Oral Health. https://www.cdc.gov/oral-health/health-equity/index.html 

University of Illinois, Chicago. The Many Costs (Financial and Well-Being) of Poor Oral Health. https://dentistry.uic.edu/news-stories/the-many-costs-financial-and-well-being-of-poor-oral-health/ 

BMC Health Services Research. Quality communication can improve patient-centred health outcomes among older patients: a rapid review. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-023-09869-8 

PubMed Central. Why Are People Afraid of the Dentist? Observations and Explanations. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5586885/ 

Nature. Accuracy and effectiveness of teledentistry: a systematic review of systematic reviews. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41432-022-0257-8