Teledentistry and Dentrix Ascend

As many practices are quickly shifting to offer teledentistry in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to share some ideas on how you can use Dentrix Ascend in your own practice. We hope to help you understand how you can use your software to deliver this new service.

How are other dentists using teledentistry?

Some dentists are holding video conferences with patients to talk face-to-face in order to review the patient’s health history, ask questions about the pain/problem the patient is experiencing and determine if the patient needs to be seen in person for treatment. During this video conference, the dentist can also determine if a prescription is needed and which pharmacy it will be sent to or if a referral to a specialist is necessary. Other dentists are using teledentistry to check on the progress of the patient’s ortho case.

Summary of ideas shared in this article:

• Review your teledentistry procedure codes and set your fees;
• Use online booking to schedule teledentistry appointments;
• Deliver health history and consent forms automatically;
• Set up electronic prescriptions;
• Send digital treatment plans;
• Send electronic statements

Review your teledentistry procedure codes and set your fees

• D9995: Teledentistry – Synchronous; Real time encounter
• D9996: Teledentistry – Asynchronous; Info stored and forwarded

Use Online Booking to schedule teledentistry appointments

• Customize your website with a banner and pop up window to inform patients that you are now seeing patients via teledentistry (again, check with your legal team regarding online marketing/ promotion restrictions) – create a call to action link to send patients to online booking;
• Set up an appointment reason in Ascend online booking named “At Home Teledentistry Consult” – make sure this is set up in your online booking;
• Set up the Time Slots and be sure to checkmark this appointment reason – Check with your state and/or malpractice insurance to determine whether you can provide this to new vs. existing patients

• Use the link in your practice’s web page by location so patients can schedule this type of appointment;
• Test each location’s online booking for both new / existing patients to confirm that everything is working properly. 

Deliver health history and consent forms automatically

• Set up and turn on Patient Forms – including all 4 questionnaires and customize the language for the consent forms. This is set up for each location.
• Use appointment communications to set up this automated flow of information
• Set up a request for confirmation message – before the appointment starts and turn on the ability to confirm

• Set up a thank you for confirming message – and turn on the add forms link

• Set up an appointment start message - and turn on the add forms link; also set to continue sending and repeat as long as you like. Once the patient fills out their forms, the link will disappear and just the message reminding of the appointment date/time will continue.
• From a workflow perspective, decide who will review this form and then update Dentrix Ascend with medical alerts, demographic or insurance changes, etc.

Set up electronic prescriptions

• Although Ascend does not integrate with ePrescribe for electronic prescriptions today, it can be used as a standalone program in a separate browser window. This allows you to send prescriptions electronically instead of calling the pharmacy or printing a paper prescription.
• Be sure to document the prescription in Ascend in the patient record.
• To check out ePrescribe online: https://www.hseprescribe.com/.
• To order ePrescribe through Henry Schein One; call 877-244-9347.
• For assistance with ePrescribe after you are already signed up, call 781-355-6250 ext. 4 for Technical Support.

Send digital treatment plans

• If you create a treatment plan, you can send this to your patient by text or email.
• If you need to refer your patient to a specialist, you can set up a procedure code “Refer to Oral Surgeon” and then use the Tx Consent Messages in Patient forms to add custom language to this code including the name, address, phone number, website of your specialist referrals. 

Send electronic statements

• Once you charge out your procedure codes for teledentistry or other procedures, you can send a statement digitally.
• To determine what insurance carrier reimbursement you can expect and what is necessary, you may want to reach out to insurance carriers for guidance. As always, you can create a claim and submit it electronically through Dentrix Ascend.
• For a workflow to send bulk statements: https://support.dentrixascend.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042160294-Sending-Electronic-Statements

• You also can send electronic statements individually.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal/compliance advice or guidance on any subject matter. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or question.

Additional Resources

ADA

https://www.ada.org/en/search-results#q=teledentistry&t=all&sort=relevancy

American Teledentistry

https://www.americanteledentistry.org/ 

Simple clinical startup guide

https://www.americanteledentistry.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ATDA-Clinical-Startup-Guide.pdf