FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 25
Tribute to Dental Professionals
Maintaining oral health in the time of coronavirus
Since the beginning of the pandemic,
many normal aspects of everyday life
have been put on hold - including dental
checkups. For months dental offi ces were
closed, or available only for dental emergencies.
Now dental offi ces are opening
again, with new health and protocols to
help protect patients and employees.
While regular appointments were cancelled
or postponed, oral health remains a
top concern for many people. According
to a dental study conducted by Guardian
Life, some adults who were unable to
access regular preventive care stepped
up their eff orts to improve their own
oral health at home. On average, 20% of
those surveyed reported making changes
to their oral health habits, mostly
for the better. Many reported practicing
increased fl ossing,brushing more frequently
and thoroughly as well as eating a
healthier diet.
Given restricted access to preventive
care during early 2020, many patients
now feel ready to schedule exams. Many
said they anticipated returning to the
dentist in September. Yet, survey respondents
all expressed the need for increased
safety precautions to reduce their anxiety
around in person visits, along with
enhanced communication with their dental
offi ce.
While nearly 3 in 10 adults said they’re
more anxious about visiting the dentist
since the outbreak, the majority of adults
(52%) claimed that their level of anxiety
about visiting the dentist did not change
due to the pandemic. Patients planning to
visit their dentist soon ranked using protective
equipment and physical distancing
or limiting the number of patients in the
offi ce as their top concerns.
What you can do to maintain good oral
health:
Keep up with regular dental checkups.
Th e American Dental Association
(ADA) currently recommends dental visits
at least once every six months to maintain
oral health and to detect issues early.
While 8 in 10 adults believe oral health
is important, many do not receive regular
preventive dental care. Even before
the pandemic began, less than half (45%)
received semiannual exams.
“Oral health is connected to our overall
health, underscoring the importance of
maintaining regular dental exams for preventive
care,” said Dr. Randi S. Tillman,
Chief Dental Offi cer, Guardian Life.
“Dental offi ces nationwide are working
hard to keep visits safe for you and your
families, so now is the perfect time to get
caught up on preventive care. Th e dental
profession has always been strongly committed
to infection control protocols, and
now more than ever, practices are in strict
compliance with CDC guidelines.”
Contact your dentist. Find out their
current hours, appointment availability
and their health and safety protocols. Ask
questions like:
• What protective gear are you requiring
for employees and patients?
• How are you limiting patients in the
waiting room?
Over 1 in 3 survey respondents said it
was vital for their dental offi ce to communicate
their safety measures to make them
feel more comfortable about returning to
the dentist.
Learn about teledentistry options.
Teledentistry, digital communication and
online self-service tools are now significantly
more accessible from dentists.
Many providers can consult with patients
using electronic means like video conferencing
to monitor patient oral health and
discuss specifi c concerns.
According to the survey:
• 1 in 6 adults reported feeling more positive
about teledentistry since the pandemic,
viewing tool.
• Nearly 1 in 4 were open to using teledentistry,
even aft er dentists started seeing
patients again.
• Millennials and working parents were
the most likely to use teledentistry in
the future.
• Parents were more likely to use teledentistry
for their child than themselves,
both during and aft er the pandemic.
Overall, there was increased interest
in using electronic communication with
dental offi ces, both for setting appointments
and consultations. A higher percentage
said they preferred to use texting
and online chat.
While most respondents were unaware
if their provider even off ered teledentistry
services or whether teledentistry was
covered by their dental insurance, more
than one-third said they would be open
to trying teledentistry. Some said they
favored it over traditional in person visits
for certain conditions and situations
- such as when physically unable to go in
person due to caring for young children
or an elderly parent, or because of work
schedules.
— BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
