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The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed many in-person activities into remote services delivered over the Internet. The last example is the dreaded visit to the dentist.
Dvora Brandstatter used to take her son Elchanan to the orthodontist for half an hour and vice versa every month to make sure his braces were working properly. Now, from the comfort of her home in Bergenfield, NJ, she connects a special viewfinder to her smartphone camera, opens an app, and inserts the gadget into the 11-year-old’s mouth. A video of the child’s helicopters is sent to his dentist, who checks on progress, diagnoses any problems, and sometimes ends the appointment right there.
“As a parent, dating less is a good thing,” Brandstatter said. “I haven’t seen any downsides so far. It’s probably the way everything is moving anyway. “
The app and scope were created last year by Grin, a New Jersey-based startup. After the pandemic, CEO and dentist Adam Schulhof said the company accelerated development of the technology and partnered with manufacturer 3M Co to rapidly distribute it to as many orthodontists as possible. About 5,000 units have been shipped and about 1,000 patients have used the system so far, according to Grin.
Schulhof, who uses the system for his own practice, said the coronavirus has spurred a great demand for new procedures that help people reduce the close contact that often occurs when visiting the dentist. The CDC cautioned that dental instruments create an aerosol that can contain droplets of water, saliva, blood, and other debris, and has recommended the use of “teledentistry” as an alternative to office care.
When the Grin videos arrive at the dentist’s office, other software from the start-up helps professionals analyze the condition of the teeth and integrates the images with existing patient management systems. The app also allows patients to see what the dentist sees inside their mouth. Not for the faint of heart.
There are already new internet-centric dental services that Grin is tackling. Companies like SmileDirectClub Inc mail invisible aligners and braces to consumers. SmileDirectClub shares have more than doubled since mid-March. Schulfhof said that Grin’s offering aims to combat conventional dentistry’s challenge of such direct-to-consumer offerings. “We are trying to disrupt the disruptors,” he added.
In the short term, the technology will help orthodontists keep their businesses running while many patients bypass the dentist’s office entirely, the CEO said. As smartphone capabilities improve and software is developed, Schulhof hopes that Grin’s scope will use artificial intelligence image analysis to become a more powerful diagnostic tool for dentists.
The CEO also sees the technology gaining traction in general dentistry, where insurance companies can support its use. People’s tooth decay at different speeds and more regular remotes could be used to identify problems before they require more complicated and expensive treatment in in-person visits every six months, he said. – Bloomberg
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