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Health and Medicine

Carolina Dentistry launches virtual oral health care helpline

The hotline provides a way for patients to manage dental care from the comfort of their homes and helps eliminate the burden of dental emergencies on emergency departments during the COVID-19 outbreak.

A model of teeth on a laptop.

North Carolinians now have access to virtual dental services during the COVID-19 outbreak, thanks to a new initiative at Carolina Dentistry, a part of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry.

Starting today, Carolina Dentistry is offering teledentistry services through a virtual helpline to patients and oral health care providers across the state.

This patient-centered service helps eliminate the burden of dental emergencies on emergency departments, including UNC Health, during the COVID-19 outbreak, and provides a safe way for patients to manage dental care by connecting virtually to a provider from the comfort of their home.

The Carolina Dentistry Virtual Oral Health Care Helpline, available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., referrals for dental emergencies that must be addressed in person.

For patients who have urgent needs across the state and cannot easily travel to Chapel Hill, Carolina Dentistry will provide patients with information for their closest dental clinic.

Oral health care providers across North Carolina may also call to speak with a specialist for patient consultations and referring patients with dental emergencies.

“The Carolina Dentistry Virtual Oral Health Care Helpline is a service we are pleased to offer to the people of our state in these uncertain times,” said Scott S. De Rossi, president of Carolina Dentistry and dean of the Adams School of Dentistry.

“This allows patients to identify whether or not they are having a dental emergency before coming to see us, and also perhaps save them a trip to Chapel Hill if another emergency care option is closer to them locally. Additionally, this service helps keep dental emergencies out of hospital emergency departments — allowing UNC Health and others to focus on those with other emergent needs.”

For more information, visit carolinadentistry.org.