School Nurses Can Nurture Better Childhood Oral Health.
By Integrating Medical-Dental Touchpoints into Schools with TeleDent and MouthWatch Intraoral Cameras.
Childhood Oral Health Needs Attention
Caries (tooth decay) is the most common preventable childhood disease.
- According to the CDC, 13.2% of children ages 5-9 had untreated dental caries in 2019.
- 42% of children aged 6 to 19 years had cavities in permanent teeth, according to a 2011 NIH study.
- Tooth decay is 4x more common than asthma among adolescents.
Preventable Issues. Major Consequences.
Lack of dental care impacts children more than many realize. Poor dental health causes several entirely preventable issues in children, including dental caries.
Impaired Speech
Early tooth loss due to dental decay can result in impaired speech development.
Performance
Lack of sleep from dental pain and pain during the day results in decreased focus and diminished performance in the classroom.
Attendance
Students are three times as likely to miss school when impacted by dental health issues.
Malnutrition
Dental pain can cause discomfort during eating and is linked to malnutrition.
Self-esteem
Early tooth loss can make children self-conscious and withdrawn.
How Does it Work?
The Setup
Nurses have a subscription to TeleDent (starting at $149 per month for 3 users) and a MouthWatch intraoral camera (starting at $299 per camera). For under $500 schools can begin upleveling their students’ oral health.
Nurses receive training and onboarding, with customized options available. Talk to a TeleDent School specialist to learn more.
Nurses Document Oral Health Conditions
Intraoral cameras provide a clear view of the oral cavity, so nurses can clearly document oral health conditions during any student health encounter. TeleDent securely stores intraoral images and notes taken by nurses to be shared with dental professionals for evaluation.
Setup School-wide Screenings
Schools can implement a school wide screening on an annual or bi-annual basis. Get a snapshot of the school population’s oral health and share with local dental care resource for triaging and evaluation. Early detection is key to reducing oral health problems that have huge impacts on children’s lives.
Connect with Local Dental Care Organizations
With a platform built for connected dental care, school health programs now can more easily work with local dental care organizations.
Don’t currently have a dental care resource you work with? We can help! Talk with your TeleDent School specialist about your needs.
Bring in Remote Dental Care Education
TeleDent’s live video consult features enable dental care professionals to interact live with students, parents and nurses themselves to provide oral health education and guidance. Pre-recorded videos can also be shared.
Need to develop a custom library of Oral Health Instruction content? We can help!
With TeleDent and Intraoral Cameras, School Nurses Are Agents of Oral Health Change
Educate the Whole Family
It’s not just kids who need better understanding of what is happening in their mouths and how to take care of their health. Parents who see intraoral images shared with them securely and conveniently via TeleDent are more likely to follow up to get their kids into a dental office for treatment.
Make Dental Referrals More Effective
If you are working with a dental care organization, student referrals will be more seamless and therefore effective using TeleDent. Easily share the patient record and all exam data with your dental care partner and they can loop students and their families into treatment more efficiently.
Complete a Fuller Picture of Your Students’ Health
Documenting oral health with TeleDent and intraoral cameras provides a more complete picture of student health and therefore creates a better foundation for improving their overall health.