Over 85% of UAE, Saudi Arabia residents ready to embrace tele-dentistry – survey

According to a new survey commissioned by Align Technology, nearly 88 per cent of residents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia value the benefits of digital communication and tele-dentistry more now than they did pre-covid-19. The results of the survey on patient responses to the pandemic were unveiled as part of a wider whitepaper report showcasing the findings of an advisory council, following an analysis into trends and challenges for the dental sector.

The YouGov survey revealed that 78 per cent of respondents will continue to use online communication with their dentists for non-emergency cases in the future. While only one-third (32 per cent) of the respondents used digital communication tools to interact with their dentists during the lockdown.

To further explore the key learnings from this crisis for the sector, Align Technology established an advisory council bringing together orthodontists from the region to initiate a dialogue around the impact of the pandemic. The council’s main task was to analyse on-ground challenges as a result of the pandemic and explore measures which could be taken to enable practitioners to be future-ready in line with the aspirations of today’s digitally-focused consumers, as well as in the new normal.

During a series of interviews and virtual roundtable sessions, the participants explored four key themes: the importance of flexibility and adaptability, the role of tele-dentistry and digital workflow, business continuity planning and delivering quality dental care and improving patient confidence.

The council found that practitioners who implemented virtual platforms were much more likely to be able to maintain business continuity during the pandemic, compared to those who were yet to embrace digitisation.

Angelo Maura, general manager, Middle East and Africa of Align Technology, said: “Long before the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically changed how we work and live, we understood the potential of information technology and digital tools to transform the dental sector. Commissioning this research and establishing the advisory council committee of local experts highlights our collective commitment to better understand how we can integrate a seamless blend of digital technology into our practices to make processes more efficient and convenient for doctors and patients alike. We want to help dental health practitioners to understand how they can leverage the power of digitisation to transform their practices, while continuing to deliver exceptional care for patients in this rapidly-changing landscape.”

The results of the whitepaper titled, ‘Digitisation and patient care: mapping new opportunities in the dental sector’ will be launched by Align Technology at the 2nd Digital Health MENA Forum, an event that brings together senior stakeholders and thought leaders in the healthcare ecosystem from public and private sector entities.

Align Technology will present findings from the study during a presentation titled ‘Telehealth virtual visits: improving experiences, efficiency and outcome’ at the conference, and will host a discussion on telehealth and telemedicine.

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