The rapid growth of Telemedicine will further widen the cavity in preventative healthcare.

Oral professionals must become the vanguard for their community’s health by providing preventative health screening and better patient education.

COVID-19 Has Made People More Aware of their Health

SARs-COV-2 has been a health wake-up call for many people. And it’s an incredibly distressing time for those people with underlying health issues.

Mortality rates are widely-reported to be significantly higher for people with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, dementia, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease.

The ‘distant’ risk posed by chronic illnesses like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease is suddenly a matter of imminent life and death.

It’s the reason it’s too dangerous for you to ‘nip to the shop’ to pick up a bottle of wine. It’s why you haven’t been able to hug your friends for six months. And why you can’t see your Grandchildren in case they accidentally kill you.

It has become impossible for people to ignore their health and wellbeing — or lack of it. People will be looking for opportunities to improve their health long after the second wave ends.

Telemedicine Will Remain Ubiquitous After COVID-19

Telemedicine has been latently gathering steam for several years, but the pandemic has thrust it to the fore.

In February this year, the UK telehealth market was predicted to grow at 10% annually until 2025 due to the ageing population and increasing healthcare costs. But the last eight months have seen more than ten years of progress in Telemedicine. And these changes are here to stay.

With the second wave of COVID-19 a reality for much of the Western world, further lockdown measures are likely. Many more people will continue to work from home in the long term. And many more people will continue to see their GP remotely than would have without the crisis.

Practices will lean into Telemedicine long after the COVID-19 risk subsides because it’s a cost-effective way of triaging which patients need a physical appointment.

As healthcare costs and demand increases the pressure on local doctors, virtual first appointments will become the standard.

By 2025, the only area of healthcare left that requires regular physical checks will be dentistry. And that creates an unprecedented opportunity for dentists to become their community’s health leader.

Patients Want In-Person Health Screening

Telemedicine had such a slow uptake because people don’t want to give up their in-person care.

Many patients enjoy the opportunity to discuss their health research with a qualified professional — and dispel any myths they may have tripped over online.

But as more and more doctors realise the benefits of offering remote consultations, fewer and fewer patients will have that opportunity to see a qualified health professional in-person. And the simple checks GPs perform — such as monitoring blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels — will become dangerously sporadic.

That’s where dentists have the opportunity — and duty — to step up to meet the needs of their community. Offering preventative health screening and guidance will become a lifeline for patients in their journey to better health.

And as the remaining providers of in-person preventative health checks, dental clinics can become the health leaders in their community.

To learn more about how to begin preventative health screening in your dental practice, call Total Health Screens at 020 7777 8910 or contact us here.