Director of Telehealth, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, NC USA Dr. Matthews divides his time at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry between clinical practice, teaching, research and scholarly activities of the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery. His clinical interests are in TMJ treatment, trauma, orthognathic surgery and oral surgery. Dr. Matthews has developed a robust telehealth program at UNC-Chapel Hill and has increased access…
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ATDA Welcomes Our Newest Board Member, Dr. Shaun Matthews
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It’s Time to Think Differently About Access to Dental Care
It is impossible to find a dentist today that claims to have too many patients (1). Yet at the same time there are thousands of people in the United States who don’t have access to dental services (2). Let’s call this a systems paradox. From the dental school curriculum to the way in which the average dental practice is managed, our profession’s systems are built in lockstep and are often out of…
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Teleorthodontics and Access to Care: At least 84 Percent of Underserved US Counties Now Have Access to Orthodontic Treatment
Over 60 percent (1,972) of the counties in the United States do not have an orthodontist’s office (US Dept. HHS, 2017).* The American Teledentistry Association previously reported this access to orthodontic care issue (ATDA Position Paper, 2018) and highlighted the promise of doctor-directed at home clear aligner therapy as a legitimate delivery model that could increase access to orthodontic care. There are now several companies in the doctor-directed at home clear aligner…