Recent years have seen an exponential growth in the collection and storage of computational data. The digital revolution since SARS-CoV-21,2 is transforming an increasing number of sectors impacting all spheres of life. Unfortunately, dentistry tends to lag in adopting innovative technologies that improve patient care and practice management. Current case management and collaboration standards continue to rely on the pen and paper model.
The readily apparent need for digitization has encouraged a growing number of dental disciplines to implement advanced workflow efficiency technologies.3,4,5 Much current research in dental medicine focuses on exploring the digital cloud-based applications for both practice and research purposes.
DentalLiveTM
DentalLiveTM is a HIPAA compliant electronic patient case management tool. Through this unique and disruptive platform, communications across multidisciplinary treatments are streamlined and available to all parties in real time. DentalLiveTM replaces traditional, but archaic, case management methods such as faxing referrals and work-orders (lab scripts). It empowers dental professionals to collaborate and exchange information securely by centralizing all communications between dentists, specialists, laboratories, vendors, and patients through the DentalLiveTM platform. (Fig 1)
Fig. 1
HIPAA Compliance
Data sharing and data security are pivotal concerns when handling Patient Health Information (PHI). Ultimately, to maintain data security and prevent privacy breaches, information exchange requires the use of encrypted communications.6 Many dental professionals continue to rely on unsecured non-HIPAA compliant communications tools such as Email servers, Social Media Platforms, and Instant Messaging Services (IMS) to exchange patient information. Not only does this violate a patient’s right to privacy, but also breaches the data privacy requirements outlined by governing dental regulatory bodies.6
With DentalLiveTM Planner, all communications are encrypted and stored in a closed HIPAA compliant environment. Necessary information can be accessed only with the appropriate permissions. All communications are time stamped and stored virtually, eliminating unsecured communication platform liabilities. Well beyond simple text messaging, DentalLiveTM leverages media formats such as File uploads and Audio/Video recordings to further reduce any communication ambiguities; instructions to the patient, a colleague and/or a lab are specific and accurate. (Fig 2)
Fig. 2
Case Management through DentalLive PlannerTM
DentalLiveTM Planner provides dental professionals with innovative case management capabilities. Collaborating across multi-disciplinary treatments has never been easier; all colleagues and team members can create milestones, send referrals and workorders (Lab scripts), comment on goals or alternative approaches, etc., through a single consolidated text/audio/video platform.
The constant exchange and updating of treatment information is beneficial to all parties, particularly the patient. Lab scripts and referral forms often require wide ranging and comprehensive data that requires copious organizational detail and time. Incomplete information can compromise the entire treatment plan. Fortuitously, DentalLiveTM’s Referrals and Workorder modules, ensures that all the information is cloud-stored and backed with audio and visual capabilities, reducing the need of a physical paper trail in each practitioner’s facility.
Colleagues are invited to collaborate on the case; all team members can update the case in real time, and seek clarification if any ambiguities present. This data streaming significantly reduces the informational bottlenecks associated with professionals chasing each other, a severe time drain of the front-office staff.
A typical situation involves office staff continually calling the laboratory to ascertain the status of a case; instead, they can simply check DentalLiveTM Planner to verify that the case is advancing through the agreed-upon milestones to arrive at a timely completion. The non-invasive transparency of multi-location, multi-professional tasks is simplified, redundant and irritating tracking documentation is eliminated, and the interpersonal relationships of the team members are preserved. (Fig 3)
Fig. 3
Teledentistry through DentalLiveTM Talk
As with many other medical services, dental clinics were forced to close for general care during the initial stages of SARS-CoV-2. Fast forward to 2023, even though dental offices are returning to full capacity, there has been a boom in the use of “teledentistry, considerably in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, oral medicine and periodontics” to provide care.7
A DentalLiveTM subscription provides unlimited video conferencing with colleagues and patients. Through the video-conferencing functionality powered by 3CX, DentalLiveTM equips every practice with the ability to conduct uninterrupted tele-dental appointments.
Ultimately, teledentistry permits providers to prioritize patients in order of urgency through remote assessments.8 This can reduce unnecessary travel, and increases accessibility to dental care in remote and socioeconomically difficult areas.8
DentalLiveTM Talk can host conferences with an unlimited number of participants, allowing the organizer to readily manage participants and maintain full control. Features such as whiteboard and polling further engage with audience.
All calls can be recorded to e-visit or share important details in patient interactions. There are no time limits on meeting duration, and it is browser friendly. This entire functionality is free to use a with DentalLiveTM membership. (Fig 4)
Fig. 4
Patient Centric Emails through DentalLiveTM Mail
DentalLiveTM Mail, makes all communications patient centric. It is intended for sharing non-PHI related information externally to patients or colleagues. Send unlimited video/audio recordings via email without any file type/size restraints. Easily maneuver all patient communications through a single localized panel with the ability to sort and filter as necessary. DentalLiveTM Mail introduces more organized patient communications by optimizing the filing, retrieval, and archival processes. Communicating with patients and labs has never been easier. Post-operative video instructions sent securely to patients make patient interaction even more personal and meaningful. Advanced clinical care, reaching patients where they are with DentalLiveTM Mail, ultimately reduces the accessibility barriers associated with old-fashioned Emails. (Fig 5)
Fig. 5
Conclusion
To stay up to date, it is important to embrace innovative solutions that provide operational efficiencies to streamline current bottlenecks. There are major operational weaknesses in current concepts of paper-based provider-auxiliary communications. Leveraging cloud-based technologies to improve accessibility and reduce entry barriers becomes paramount. Dentistry has few available case management consolidation tools, and even fewer options that are HIPAA compliant. DentalLiveTM provides the missing link for revolutionizing collaborative communication in Dentistry. The platform functions across all patients and across all auxiliary and specialist team members. The DentalLiveTM family of products enhances clinical care by offering value-added communications while streamlining the process in a single pane dashboard. And the best part: at this time, it is completely free to use (terms and conditions may apply).9
Oral Health welcomes this original article.
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- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8909967/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7775233/
- www.dentallive.com/homepage
About the Author
(Bobby) Baig is a board-certified Prosthodontist and national examiner for Prosthodontics Fellowship {F.R.C.D.(C). A graduate of Gulbarga University, India, he completed his AEGD and Graduate Program in Prosthodontics at Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester. Dr. Baig is Associate Professor, University of Rochester, Clinical Instructor, Prosthodontics, Mt Sinai Hospital, and Associate in Dentistry, University of Toronto. He lectures internationally and maintains a private practice in Woodbridge, Ontario.
