The world is changing. Without changing along with it, you may be left behind. 

Today, we can buy a car totally online and have it delivered to our house. We can also enjoy our favorite restaurant foods without ever walking through their doors. Modern-day consumers desire convenience without sacrificing quality or good customer service, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that teledentistry is becoming a significant part of dental practices across the country. 

If you’re ready to connect with patients on a whole new level, while still providing excellent patient care, the SmileSnap virtual consultation tool is ready to help you reach that goal. 

The Purpose of Virtual Consultations

Virtual consultations through teledentistry can enable dentists to provide remote care to patients near and far. 

The American Dental Association defines teledentistry as “the use of telehealth systems and methodologies in dentistry. Telehealth refers to a broad variety of technologies and tactics to deliver virtual medical, health, and education services. Telehealth is not a specific service, but a collection of means to enhance care and education delivery.”

While dentists can’t use teledentistry to perform preventive, restorative, or cosmetic dental services, it is useful for new patient consultations, follow-up appointments, collecting personal health and medical data, and reviewing recorded health information like radiographs, photographs, and digital impressions. 

Virtual consultations are extremely convenient, productive, and profitable. For starters, dentists can meet with patients virtually while their hygienists are performing cleanings and other preventive treatments in the office. In many states, dentists are not required to be present during those appointments according to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. During that time, he could have completed two or three virtual appointments. This way, dentists can meet with more patients than ever before without ever stepping out of their offices. 

Virtual consultations are also beneficial for patients because they are affordable and convenient. Additionally, patients show up to their in-person appointment more comfortable and familiar with the dentist and fully prepared for their treatment or procedure. 

Unfortunately, when a virtual consultation doesn’t go as planned, the patient may choose to meet with a different dentist. It is important to choose a trusted, streamlined software like SmileSnap to ensure your patients have the best virtual consult experience. 

How DIY Virtual Consultations Miss the Mark

The process of adding virtual consultations to your services can be overwhelming. This technology is brand-new and there are many things to consider. How will you keep the information secure? How do you ensure the communication platform you use is simple and high-quality? How will you stay up to date with state regulations on teledentistry? 

Dentists who try to do it all on their own may miss out on all the benefits of using an established and trusted virtual consultation software. 

A Subpar User Experience

Do-it-yourself consultations typically provide a subpar user experience. Patients may have to jump through hoops (like downloading apps, searching for an email link, or finding a place with high-speed internet) to even begin the video consult if the dentist’s website or technology isn’t streamlined. 

An Unsecure Platform

Dentists must follow HIPAA guidelines even when using teledentistry. This involves using an encrypted connection, encrypted servers, and agreeing to periodic audits by the Department of Health and Human Services. Without the right technology, your website may lack the security that HIPAA requires for sending and receiving patient information. 

The Inability to Track Progress

Virtual consultations can help dentists reach more patients and maximize case acceptance rates. However, without the right software, dentists won’t know how their practice is progressing, making it difficult to know where and how to improve. 

How SmileSnap Gets It Right

With SmileSnap, our virtual consultation dental software can help a dentist comply with patient security requirements, a simple and exceptional user experience, and an easy-to-use platform that meets your virtual consultation needs and helps you gain more new patients. 

SmileSnap is one of the dental industry’s most trusted virtual consultation solution for several reasons. 

  1. The SmileSnap product is a HIPAA-compliant platform. 

When used properly, our software ensures that the dentist protects patient information and data assisting in compliance with their HIPAA obligations. Protected Health Information under HIPAA can include a patient’s: s: 

• Name, phone number, and email
• Address
• Test results
• Prescription information
• Medical and dental history

The SmileSnap platform uses an encrypted connection and stores information on encrypted servers to 

help secure patient information while on the SmileSnap platform.

   2. Our software is easy for dentists and patients to use. 

SmileSnap can be added to any dentist’s website and is constantly being updated to meet the needs of customers. You won’t have to send a long list of instructions to your patients before a virtual consultation because starting the virtual consultation is as simple as clicking a button on the homepage of your website. 

Additionally, patients who lack access to high-speed internet will be able to use the SmileSnap platform. They won’t be required to download anything to their device. Our software also offers two-way patient messaging that makes it easy for patients to reach out to you at any time, and easy for you and your team to send automatic or personalized messages back. 

  3. SmileSnap is customizable. 

Although our platform is ready-made, it is also customizable. Dentists can change the widget colors to match their websites and alter other parts of the platform to go seamlessly with their brand. It is easy to add personal touches like recorded videos and clips to patient responses and create custom email and text messages. 

  4. Dentists have access to an analytics dashboard. 

Without any additional work on your part, you’ll have constant access to an analytics dashboard that tracks and measures your virtual consultation metrics and conversions. This way, you’ll know exactly how many new patients SmileSnap has helped you acquire and how it has affected your case-acceptance rates. 

Dental practices that use our software have reported an over 80% case acceptance rate and a dramatic increase in website engagement and leads. 

  5. SmileSnap is compatible with iPhone and Android devices. 

Want to ensure you never miss an opportunity to connect with a patient? Both iPhone and Android users can download an app that allows dentists to respond to patient questions and requests immediately with just a few clicks. 

The Best Parts About SmileSnap

Creating your own virtual consultation experience and keeping it up to date can be time-consuming and expensive. Our team at SmileSnap has already done the work of creating a safe, engaging, and effective platform for dentists who want to meet with patients virtually. 

We offer both affordable monthly and annual pricing that doesn’t require you to sign a long-term contract. When you partner with us, you’ll gain access to all our tools and features, such as unlimited consultations and live video visits, the customizable widget, and free guided self-onboarding—our competitors don’t even come close to providing these same benefits! We also offer FREE lifetime Foundational Onboarding Sessions and Customization Onboarding Sessions to ensure your dental practice gets the most out of our platform. 

Don’t be afraid of change; embrace it! Sign up and start offering virtual services to your patients today. Click here to schedule a quick demo or call 1.720.738.8080 to speak with a member of our team.