Dental Protection has announced a new partnership with Chairsyde, a system which helps dental professionals consult with patients interactively.
Developed by dentists, for dentists, it is designed to educate patients about their oral health both virtually through teledentistry and alongside supporting face-to-face discussions in practice. It offers visual aids that can be annotated to explain diagnosis and treatment plans, and enables patients to log in and view their treatment plan, replay the animations linked to their consultation, and contact their dentist directly to ask questions.
Chairsyde records the patient journey right from their first consultation and includes date stamped evidence of visuals shown and information communicated to patient’s as part of the consent process.
The partnership comes as a Dental Protection survey of nearly 200 UK dental professionals found that the majority of dentists have been using teledentistry, with 88 per cent believing the changes would continue beyond Covid-19. However, technology was a barrier for many, with 62 per cent finding that their patients do not have access to the technology. 48 per cent of the dental professionals surveyed were also unsure if they were protected for virtual consultations.
The partnership will provide Dental Protection Xtra members with access to the Chairsyde platform at no additional charge, as part of their package. Dental Protection members who work at a Dental Protection Xtra practice are also eligible for a Chairsyde license at no additional cost.
Dental Protection director, Raj Rattan, said, “Teledentistry is not a new concept, there is evidence of remote dental consultations taking place as early as 1994, treating soldiers all over the world. However, it is gaining traction as it provides an innovative solution to support dental practices and their patients during Covid-19, as well as beyond. Indeed, 88 per cent of members say they want the changes they have made to their practice in relation to telemedicine to continue beyond the pandemic.
“Dentists tell us, however, that the main barrier to them undertaking teledentistry is that patients do not have access to the technology. We want to support members and respond to the challenges they face now, and beyond the pandemic I believe this partnership with Chairsyde will help members navigate the rapid change Covid-19 has presented, by providing a secure and accessible way to conduct virtual consultations.
“Members are not charged any additional subscription for using Chairsyde, or indeed another remote consulting platform, to assist in the provision of remote care and advice to their dental patients within the UK. Members will be able to request assistance for any matters arising from this work.
“Chairsyde are a fitting partner for Dental Protection as we hold many of the same values; we are both run by dentists for dentists, and we are both working to support dentists in managing their risk of cases, claims, and complaints whilst fighting to reduce the cost of indemnity.
“Chairsyde has many applications and its content and design help to address many aspects of patient communication, consent, record keeping and clinical risk management. A lot of dentolegal cases identify shortcomings in one or more of these areas. The functionality of the platform should significantly drive down the risks associated with these shortcomings.”
Loven Ganeswaran, dentist and founder of Chairsyde, added, “We're delighted to announce this exciting partnership with leaders in indemnity, Dental Protection, to help our community of dentists by reducing stress and mitigating risk associated with claims through our unique and interactive smart technology.
“As a member myself, it is inspiring to see the measures Dental Protection have taken to keep their community of dentists safe.
“Our joint mission, to protect dentists and ignite practice growth whilst transforming patient health is an exciting proposition that will not only have a positive impact on daily practice but will also help shape the future of dental consultations for the better.”