Teledentistry is a step in closing the gap in dental care

Teledentistry has become an important tool for helping patients access dental expertise when and where they need it. It can be especially valuable when a dental concern arises outside normal office hours or when a patient is unsure whether the situation requires immediate treatment.

But the growing use of teledentistry also reveals a larger problem: Too many people do not have consistent access to preventive dental care or an established relationship with a dentist.

Teledentistry can help address an immediate concern. The greater challenge is ensuring that patients receive the routine and follow-up care needed to prevent the next emergency.

Why patients turn to the emergency department

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth disorders accounted for approximately 1.9 million emergency department visits annually from 2020 through 2022. Although the rate of these visits has declined since 2014, their continued frequency demonstrates the need for more appropriate and accessible dental care options.

In my experience, many patients seek dental care in an emergency department because they do not have a regular dentist. Cost, limited provider access and emergencies occurring outside traditional office hours can all contribute to that decision.

Patients who arrive at an emergency department with a dental concern are often in significant pain. Emergency department clinicians can help manage that pain and address urgent medical complications, but most emergency departments are not designed to provide definitive dental treatment.

Ideally, patients would have timely access to a dentist or oral surgeon who could evaluate and treat the underlying problem. When that is not possible, teledentistry can help determine the appropriate next step.

Teledentistry’s role in emergency triage

When a dental concern occurs, a patient’s regular dentist should generally be the first point of contact. That dentist knows the patient’s medical and dental history, and some practices provide virtual consultations or after-hours triage.

When the regular dentist is unavailable, teledentistry can connect the patient with a dental professional who can assess the situation, provide guidance and determine how urgently in-person care is needed.

Teledentistry includes dental consultations and certain other services delivered through a smartphone, computer or similar technology. One of its most valuable applications is triage—helping a patient understand whether a concern can wait for an appointment, requires prompt attention from a dentist or warrants emergency medical care.

Dental concerns that should be evaluated by a dental professional include:

• • Injuries to the mouth
• • Knocked-out or chipped teeth
• • Swelling in the mouth or gums
• • Pain that persists for more than two days
• • Temperature sensitivity that lasts more than a few seconds

The appropriate destination for care will depend on the patient’s symptoms and circumstances. Teledentistry can support that decision, but it should not delay emergency medical treatment when a situation is severe or potentially life-threatening.

Triage must lead to treatment

A strong teledentistry program must emphasize what happens after the virtual consultation.

Teledentistry should not become a substitute for an ongoing relationship with a dentist. It is best used as an extension of care—addressing an immediate need and helping the patient reach definitive treatment.

Follow-through can be challenging even in a traditional dental setting. Once pain or discomfort subsides, some patients do not return for recommended treatment. Instead, they wait until the condition becomes painful again. That risk may be even greater when the initial interaction occurs virtually.

For health plans, employers and dental benefits organizations, this is where the opportunity extends beyond simply offering virtual access. A successful program should help patients identify an appropriate provider, understand the importance of follow-up care and overcome the barriers that might prevent them from completing treatment.

Technology can open the door to care. It cannot ensure that a patient walks through it.

Closing the larger access gap

Teledentistry is one part of a much broader effort to improve access to oral healthcare. Civic organizations, community programs, health departments and schools can all help connect individuals—especially children—with preventive services.

Dental education, community screenings and mobile dental programs also play important roles. These efforts can identify problems earlier, when they may be easier and less costly to treat, while helping individuals establish a more consistent source of care.

The real measure of teledentistry’s success should not be the number of virtual consultations completed. It should be whether those consultations help patients receive the right care, in the right setting, at the right time—and ultimately reduce the need for emergency intervention.

Teledentistry can help close the gap. But closing it fully will require a stronger bridge between virtual access, preventive care and definitive treatment.

Reference
Schappert SM, Santo L. Emergency Department Visits for Tooth Disorders: United States, 2020–2022. NCHS Data Brief. 2025;(531):1–11. DOI: 10.15620/cdc/174597

Terry Norris is director of dental review at HRI Dental & Vision, a dental benefits organization providing dental plans, provider networks and dental review services to health plans and employers.