Dental

Veterans’ Dental Care Made Easy: Explore Tele-Dentistry with VA Orlando!


Introducing a game-changer in Veteran healthcare: the Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS) is revolutionizing dental care with its groundbreaking Tele-Dentistry program! By harnessing the power of virtual technology, this innovative initiative is transforming dental evaluations into a seamless experience for our esteemed Veterans.

This pilot program isn’t just a first for the Orlando VA—it’s the first of its kind in the nation! Focused on providing swift assessments for Veterans with oral lesions, Tele-Dentistry is all about efficiency. Say goodbye to lengthy wait times and inconvenient in-person appointments!

How does it work? By merging the expertise of dental professionals with the VA’s cutting-edge digital technology (Connected Care), Veterans can share vital information without the hassle of real-time appointments. This initiative is a beacon of hope for those facing challenges in accessing timely dental evaluations.

Unlike traditional dental visits that often involve a series of appointments and grueling travel, our Tele-Dentistry program uses a revolutionary “store and forward” model. High-quality images of a Veteran’s oral lesions or healing post-surgery can be captured at one of our remote sites and sent directly to our dental specialists for prompt evaluation.

Dr. Junaid Farooqui, the Chief of Dental Service at the Orlando VA, underscores the significant advantage of this model. He shares, “Instead of asking Veterans to travel to Lake Nona for every evaluation, we can assess their images remotely, determining whether they need an in-person visit or further care.”

This innovative approach takes cues from the successful dermatology model established at the Orlando VA, where skin lesions are photographed and examined by specialists off-site. Inspired by this success, our dental team recognized an excellent opportunity to adapt this workflow for oral health—especially for those Veterans living in remote locations.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Dr. Teri Carper, OVAHCS Chief of Connected Care, and Dr. Farooqui, Tele-Dentistry has become a reality. Dr. Carper envisions this program as a practical solution to ensure timely dental care for our Veterans.

“For many Veterans, commuting to the main medical center for an initial consultation can be a major time sink,” Dr. Carper explains. “Now, a Veteran who might have previously faced weeks of waiting for an assessment can have their condition evaluated in just a matter of days or even the same day, all thanks to this new program!”

The process is not only simple but incredibly effective: a trained telehealth technician captures detailed images of the patient’s lesion at various remote locations, including outpatient clinics in Daytona, Lake Baldwin, or Viera.

These images are then swiftly reviewed by a dental specialist who can quickly determine if further treatment is necessary. For our Veterans, this means fewer trips to the VA, significantly reduced wait times, and an overall more efficient care process.

One of the first Veterans to utilize the program couldn’t believe his luck! Instead of traveling across town for an initial screening, he visited the Viera clinic, had an image taken, and received a thorough assessment from Dr. Farooqui—all over the phone! No long journeys, no hassle.

“He was incredibly grateful for the convenience and the swift peace of mind that came with receiving his results quickly,” Dr. Farooqui noted.

Looking to the future, the Tele-Dentistry program plans to include postoperative evaluations, aiming to make ongoing care even more accessible for Veterans. “For certain procedures, such as post-surgical checks, we often have patients return after a week or two. Now, we’re exploring the possibility of evaluating their recovery remotely, saving them a trip and freeing up appointment slots for those who need in-person care,” Dr. Farooqui elaborated.

As the Tele-Dentistry initiative picks up steam, Dr. Farooqui anticipates reduced wait times and enhanced access to dental care for our Veterans. Though still in its infancy, there’s a palpable excitement about its potential impact, with hopes of making it a standard offering in Veteran dental services.

The success of this initiative is a testament to the Orlando VA’s unwavering commitment to delivering the right care at the right time, in the right place. By leveraging technology to streamline healthcare services, the Orlando VA is not just improving access to care but also providing our Veterans with the convenience and quality they truly deserve.

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