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By: U-T STAFF
Post Date: June 4, 2020
Please describe how you’re helping the community at this time. “As it was necessary to suspend our in-person oral health services, my team and I quickly leveraged and bolstered our telehealth and teledentistry capabilities to remain a constant in our senior patients’ lives.
“Through this modality, we are able to support and provide remote dental care for older adults in San Diego who are isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent social unrest. Our current services are helping to keep our patients, over 1,400 vulnerable seniors, avoid costly visits to the ER for emergency dental issues that could be better addressed in a dental setting.
“We are providing consultations on existing and emergent dental issues and helping both patients and non-patients that call navigate their medical, mental health or social issues including food insecurity, homelessness, and social isolation.
“When needed we direct our callers to 2-1-1 to provide information and referrals to other health, human, and social service organizations. We also recently spearheaded an effort to create and distribute 5,000 oral hygiene kits to area seniors. These kits not only provide important supplies and oral hygiene tools, but also maintains our connection to patients, as the majority of them live alone at or near the poverty level.”
Please read the full article in The San Diego Union-Tribune.
