Some doctor visits go virtual during COVID-19 crisis

Online and virtual doctor visits are now a thing of the present as we navigate hopefully through the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, but they also could become more prevalent in the future as doctors and patients keep and open mind and see how this process works over the next few months.

Greater Houston Orthodontics is one office that is giving virtual visits a try as they announce the addition of remote patient treatment monitoring in its two Houston-area practice locations: Memorial and West University. The goal of this service is to reduce the frequency of office visits, give doctors even more data regarding treatment progress, and reduce total treatment time.

Powered by Dental MonitoringTM, this innovative treatment option allows patients to take weekly photos of their smile via an app on their smartphone. The orthodontic specialists at Greater Houston Orthodontics review the detailed images to track the progress of treatment in real time. Patients receive the same level of care from the doctors and team, with fewer in-person checkups.

"With COVID-19 circulating in the Houston area, virtual appointments allow our patients to abide by guidelines for self-quarantine and social distancing, which are important tools as we manage disease transmission," says Dr. Amir Davoody. "This is a strong example of how we continually refine orthodontics to ensure our patients achieve the best possible results, in a way that best fits their lives," concludes Dr. Davoody.