Video consultations became mainstream in medicine years ago, and dentistry is catching up fast. While a dentist can't drill or fill over a screen, a surprising amount of care can happen remotely — and it can save you an unnecessary trip when you're in pain or unsure whether you need to be seen at all.
A video consultation is well suited to assessing toothache and swelling, reviewing a broken tooth or lost filling, giving emergency advice, issuing prescriptions such as antibiotics or pain relief where clinically appropriate, and providing cosmetic assessments and second opinions. What it can't do is replace a physical examination or X-rays where those are clinically required — in which case your dentist will arrange in-person follow-up.
At BookMyDentist, video consultations are coming soon: a 20-minute video appointment from home with a GDC-registered dentist, planned at £65 and run under CQC registration. They aren't available to book yet — in the meantime, real in-person diary times are live on the site.