Cavities, worn tooth enamel or fillings, gum disease, fractured teeth, or exposed roots are some of the most common dental problems that have been prevalent since ages. According to a prominent research, more than six million people annually experience an urgent dental problem but many find it challenging to find a right doctor on immediate basis.
Moreover, Hospital Emergency Departments (ED) are not fully equipped with the state-of-art infrastructure that is needed to provide efficient dental solutions to patients. This ultimately results in no dental treatment and ultimately bears a high treatment cost to the patient. To solve this prevalent problem, a U.S. based company- The TeleDentists entered into the market.
Founded by notable dentists with decades of vital experience in healthcare, this company is seen as a tele-health pioneer in healthcare industry. This company offers an innovative model that saves patients’ time and money, reduces unnecessary Emergency Department visits and provides health payers and employers a more cost-effective option.
The TeleDentists has engineered a cutting-edge cloud-based SaaS service that enables hospitals and urgent care facilities access to a specialist who can treat oral care level one problems at a fraction of the cost that would be incurred if treated by the ER doctor. With its leading-edge solution, this company is transforming the way people treat urgent oral and dental problems. Its solution is one of the first in the market that offers an improved way to access care, providing essential dental services 24/7/365, wherever a dentist is needed.
Brief Journey
The company has done a lot of research and customer surveys to craft a platform that can alter the face of dentistry treatment in the U.S. region. The company began its research and development in 2014 and launched its platform in 2016. In the subsequent year, The TeleDentists had launched the next 2.0 version of its trademarked solution after receiving immense praise and acceptance from people all across the U.S.
The company’s vision is to expand the horizon of dental services into the far deeper pockets of U.S., such that everyone who encounters a dental problem can use its platform to connect with the dentist in quick time. Its platform also integrates oral health into total healthcare and provides much greater financial benefits to the patients in terms of total healthcare cost reduction. Studies show a 12% reduction in overall healthcare costs by integrating oral health so the healthcare system benefits and patients benefit by being healthier.
The TeleDentists provides a virtual dentist at the desired time by adding virtual dentists in emergency rooms, urgent care centers, walk–in clinics, senior living centers, primary care clinics, and as an additional service to current tele-health companies.
Its dentists provide patients/providers with consultations to assess the problem and make recommendations regarding the best patient outcome. If an antibiotic is needed, the dentist sends an e-script to the patient’s pharmacy of choice. Non-narcotic pain meds can also be prescribed. In some instances, if a follow-up visit with an actual dentist is needed, their platform assists the patient to arrange an appointment too.
Services and Its Uniqueness
The company offers dental emergencies, provides answers to the vital questions concerning oral health through its cutting-edge platform. It also addresses the huge urgent care market as well as provides an oral health maintenance program for primary care, workplace wellness centers, and FQHCs.
The TeleDentists has a robust network of 35,000 specialist dentists who are spread across 48 states in the U.S. territory and available on demand whenever required in quick time. “Since the rollout of the 2.0 version of our platform, we have acquired several strategic partners, started our Series A fundraising round, secured contracts to provide our services and are land-grabbing the healthcare industry as the Dental Specialist,” stated the company.
About the Ingenious Leadership
Drs. Maria Kunstadter and Michael Sigler are the Co-founders of The TeleDentists. They are both dentists and have delivered dental care for years. In 2012, Dr. Kunstadter was appointed the Dental Director of the PAINS Alliance of Kansas City, a group dedicated to help with the chronic pain crisis in America.
While recounting the challenges of healthcare industry especially of dentistry, Dr. Kunstadter revealed many interesting facts. “There are no dentists in emergency rooms. Something had to change. When $1.7B is being spent in ERs, where no treatment or remedy is provided, we had to come up with a better solution. That’s when telemedicine came to mind. A virtual dentist can be in all the places people go to seek help with their dental needs,” asserts Dr. Kunstadter.
Road Ahead
The company aspires to become a dental specialist in coming years as its tele-dentistry platform has the potential to provide an easy access to oral health specialist at the touch of the finger. “We are going internationally as well. Since dental disease is the most prevalent disease in the world, we have an unlimited marketplace,” concluded Dr. Kunstadter.
