In everyday busy lives, or in the midst of a pandemic, it’s often helpful to receive healthcare on the phone or virtually. We understand this may be a preferred option to receive dental assistance outside of scheduled cleanings or emergency procedures, which is why Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry is providing Telehealth to better assist our patients.
Why Telehealth Appointments Versus In-Person Appointments
There are few dental emergencies that cannot be effectively diagnosed and triaged through a Telehealth appointment. Studies show that nearly half of emergency room visits did not require an office visit, and the other half that did require a visit could be effectively managed in one, in-person appointment. Exceptions include the loss of a permanent tooth from trauma that requires immediate re-implantation.
Telehealth appointments can reduce the need to leave home in order to achieve dental care. In fact, data demonstrates that in 50 percent of the cases, a follow up appointment is not necessary.
Setting Up Telehealth Appointments
To schedule a Telehealth appointment for your child:
- Take a photograph of the problem.
- Call the office at 704-377-3687
- Identify yourself as an existing patient or a new patient to the practice.
- Let our call center or after-hours emergency call representative know if you are calling because of an emergency situation.
The representative will confirm or establish your information, facilitate a quick telephone triage to identify the problem, and will let you know to expect contact with the doctor by email, text, phone.
For the actual teleconference appointment with the Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry doctor, the call center will send the on-call doctor the triage information, and the doctor then sends an invite via email or text to the parent. Once the parent clicks on the link they enter a virtual waiting room until the doctor starts the teleconference appointment.
Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry’s Telehealth Services
Through the convenience of technology, doctors are able to give consultations through the Telehealth appointments. Doctors will talk to you, the parent, to gather the history of the situation and even look into visual evidence if available. Visual examinations are available as well, as the camera allows the doctors to identify the issue or narrow down the potential problems.
How to Prep for a Telehealth Appointment
If you’re planning on scheduling a Telehealth appointment with Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry, there are a couple of ways you can prepare to make the appointment go as smoothly as possible.
- If you haven’t already, take photos of your child’s teeth or the problem area.
- Find a well-lit, quiet spot.
- Have your child present at the appointment.
Having photos already captured to send to the call center representative will help speed up the process while they create the patient record and fill in the triage form. Place you and your child in a well-lit, quiet spot so the doctor can communicate easily with you, as well as visually see the issues.
Fees, Billing, and Insurance
There is a fee for the problem-focused exam that is covered by most dental insurances and Medicaid. If the original call is during the hours of operation for the call center, the fee will be collected at the time the appointment is established If after hours, an office representative will follow up with the parent the following day and help them make the appropriate payment.
Improving Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth
Our goal is to provide a valuable service to the families in distress. Statistically, the average time for virtual doctor visits is less than 10 minutes, but the average time a parent is actually with a doctor for an in-office emergency is 2 minutes. In post-call surveys across the world, the parental/patient satisfaction level is extremely high and it is because they perceive their time was valued.
