Teledentistry for Hospitals
Last reviewed:
Where teledentistry fits in a hospital
- Emergency department: dental complaints that need a dentist's view (see Emergency department dental consultation)
- Inpatient units: tooth pain, broken teeth, denture problems or mouth sores during a stay
- Before discharge: a dental plan the patient can act on
- After discharge: follow-up for patients without a dentist (see Discharge follow-up coordination)
Ways a consultation can happen
| Format | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Live video | The dentist sees and talks with the patient, with a clinician present when needed | Questions that need conversation and a visual check |
| Image and history review | Your team sends photos and notes for the dentist to review | Situations where timing is flexible |
| Clinician-to-dentist discussion | Your clinician and the dentist talk without the patient | When your team wants a dental opinion before deciding |
What remote evaluation can and cannot do
Can
- take a history
- look at visible teeth, gums and soft tissue
- suggest a likely dental cause
- advise how urgent dental follow-up is
- recommend the type of follow-up care
- explain next steps to the patient
Cannot
- take X-rays
- test or probe teeth directly
- drain an infection
- fill, repair or remove a tooth
- rule out a serious infection on its own
Capturing useful images
Clear photos make a remote consultation far more useful. Dentulu makes an intraoral camera, MouthCAM, for remote dental imaging. Whether it, or another method, suits your setting is decided with your infection-prevention and IT teams.
Technology and privacy
Consultations run on systems agreed with your IT and privacy teams, under the agreements your hospital requires.
Technology and securityCollaboration on medically complex patients
Hospitalists, oncology, cardiac and transplant teams sometimes want a dental view before a procedure or during a long stay. The scope of that collaboration is agreed for each program.
Built on Dentulu's teledentistry experience
Dentulu runs a virtual dental office where licensed U.S. dentists consult with patients by video and photo. It received the 2020 Cellerant Best of Class award in the teledentistry category. Hospital programs build on that experience with workflows designed for hospital settings.
About DentuluFrequently asked questions
Is teledentistry the same as a dental exam?
No. It can guide next steps, but many conditions need an in-person exam, X-rays or a procedure.
Which dentists provide consultations?
Dentists licensed in the state where the patient is located, as required by that state.
What about patients who need an interpreter?
Consultations use your hospital's interpreter services, following your language-access process.
Do patients need to download an app?
Not for consultations your staff request. The access method is agreed during setup.
Can patients keep using Dentulu after discharge?
Dentulu offers virtual dental consultations to the public. Whether your team refers patients there is decided with your hospital.
See how teledentistry fits your hospital's workflow.
Please do not include patient information.