Although COVID-19 cases are still being diagnosed in Ontario, the province is still opening up. As of the writing of this article most of the province is in stage 3, with most school boards expected to be open in September.
Being able to open up shop is a good thing for the Ontario economy, but some businesses are going the extra mile to ensure customers and employees are safe and do not pass around the COVID-19 virus.
Dr. Pio Modi and his family dental practice in Brantford, Ontario – Parkway Dentistry – are one of these businesses. When asked why dentists and other health organizations need to be extra careful with their patients’ safety, Dr. Modi says,
“The dental field is one of those fields that need to go the extra mile to ensure we stop the spread. Patients naturally assume dental clinics are diligently sanitized and sterilized but more importantly they don’t expect to catch a dangerous virus like coronavirus after visiting their family dentist.”
Earlier on in the pandemic, The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario strongly advised dentists to only provide emergency treatments which ruled out in person consultations as well, and alienated many patients that require regular checkups or surgery.
Now one of the things dentists across Canada are doing to reduce the spread is by offering virtual consultations. If you search the web for “virtual dental consultations” you are likely to find a dental clinic in your area that is providing the service, and most likely on a complimentary basis.
The idea virtual consults is to still be available for patients that are in quarantine or generally have chosen to continue social distancing guidelines until the government declares the pandemic is over.
People who will find virtual consultations convenient are new patients, elderly and senior patients, and patients in self-quarantine. Dr. Modi continues,
“Virtual consultations are not as efficient as in person consultations but a lot of important information can be gathered including patient history, whether there is any pain, where the pain is, whether anything needs to be repaired, and a lot of other important data that doesn’t require an in person consultation.”
A remote consultation takes place between the dentist and the patient whom join a video call at a scheduled time and software like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or other video calling software is used. Almost every clinic will different ways of preparing for the virtual consult.
Some will require you to upload pictures of your mouth and face; other clinics will ask you to select your coverage; some will offer the virtual consult for free while others will charge a fee.
When asked if remote consultations will become the new norm, Dr. Modi says they just may be,
We’re at a stage in history where people are really concerned about their health and safety. We can expect the desire for virtual consults to exist well into the future, especially considering many patients will tell their friends and family about it. At least if another dangerous virus causes a shutdown, we can still be available to our patients.
World health officials have stated that the coronavirus will not be going away soon, or many never go away. According to research done at Advisory Board, the coronavirus may never go away;
As new coronavirus cases continue to climb in America, health experts say it’s becoming clear that the virus, known as SARS-CoV-2, is here to stay—but experts say that, between emerging treatments and a possible vaccine, we won’t be stuck in a perpetual global pandemic, either. [Source]
You can expect to see many other industries go in the direction of virtual consultations:
- attorneys
- doctors
- aestheticians
- beauty experts
- therapists
- real estate agents
- interior design companies
- cardiologists
The list continues. This article explains how virtually any business can provide virtual consultations and keep their customers safe.
