Digital dentistry in Halland
90 percent digital 1-year consultations – The success story of digital care in Halland
Digital dental care that frees up time
Folktandvården Halland operates 19 general dentistry clinics and 4 orthodontic clinics, with approximately 370 staff in total. Together, they are responsible for dental care for approximately 125,000 residents in the region.
After two years of digital dental care through Platform24, a full 90 percent of Folktandvården Halland’s consultations for 1 year olds are now conducted digitally. At the same time, nearly one in three informational consultations prior to orthodontic treatment has moved to digital channels. The result is freed-up chair time, a simpler daily routine for both individual patients and families, and a calmer work environment for dental staff.
Improved accessibility and the right patient in the chair
The dental clinic in Halland faced the same challenges as many other regions: growing demand, staff shortages, and the need to free up capacity at the clinics. When digital dentistry launched in spring 2023, the goal was clear: improve accessibility, ensure that the right patients receive in-person care, and make collaboration between clinics easier.
“We wanted to be able to help more people and make assessments that sometimes mean the patient doesn’t need to come in person. That frees up time in the dentist’s chair for those who really need it.” – Anna Cavrak, Head of Department, Folktandvården Halland.
The solution: A digital entry via Platform24
Folktandvården Halland partnered with Platform24, and in just two years, digital dental care has become an integral part of everyday life. An easy way to access care via chat and video visits ensures that residents get the right help faster and frees up treatment chairs for those who truly need to come in person.
Patients can seek care for new issues, request follow-up contact, or handle administrative matters. Dental-specific questionnaires guide patients to the right path—whether that’s self-care advice or a drop-in appointment with dental staff. A key feature is the ability to submit photos, such as of a damaged tooth, which often determines whether an in-person visit is even necessary. Behind the scenes, all clinics across seven service areas collaborate, with coordinators managing the workflow.
In addition to the drop-in option, provider-initiated digital visits were established, with two priority use cases:
- 1-year checkups with parents of children who have turned one.
- Informational visits prior to orthodontic treatment.
“We found that these particular visits could be carried out just as well digitally. Patients avoid having to travel, parents can join from work, and we free up treatment rooms for other patients.”
Better prepared patients – and more focused appointments
Prior to scheduled digital appointments, forms and information are sent to prepare both the patient and the clinician. During the appointment, images and X-rays are shared on screen, and afterward, the dialogue continues via chat if needed, with summaries, informational links, and next steps.
“It becomes calmer, more predictable, and patients are better prepared. I share X-rays and photos, point and explain, and send everything in writing afterwards. On top of that, there are more often two parents present, since they can join without leaving work.”
Outcomes: Freed-up chair time and a better work environment
After two years, Region Halland has achieved results well beyond expectations. Overall, this approach has contributed to a better work environment, where certain informational visits can be conducted remotely without disruption, while the clinic’s physical resources are used more efficiently.
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90 percent of 1-year follow-up consultations take place digitally
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30 percent of pre-orthodontic informational consultations take place digitally
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The median time to first contact via chat is 8 minutes, compared to the target of under 15 minutes.
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Patient satisfaction is high and stable: a rating of 4.4 out of 5. Most patients noting that the process is fast and convenient.
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The no-show rate for 1-year checkups has decreased from 9 to 5 percent when guardians can schedule appointments themselves online
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Staff can handle each other’s online consultations across clinics, and coordinators receive quick support from dentists when needed.
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Standard phrases, information templates, and preparatory forms ensure more consistent quality and save time.
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A calmer and more varied work environment: undisturbed remote informational visits.
Spotlight: Dental Clinic Nyhem
olktandvården Nyhem in Halmstad is one of the clearest examples of how digital workflows can become a natural part of everyday life—and of how a clinic can be at the forefront of this transition. Nyhem has not only embraced digital tools but has also actively developed workflows that other clinics can now learn from. They handle both patient-initiated interactions—where patients reach out via chat—and cases that come in through the front desk. The most common reasons patients reach out are related to children’s dental development, retained baby teeth, and various types of trauma—situations where chat and photos are almost always sufficient for an initial assessment.
The front desk receives incoming cases and can often resolve them entirely digitally by providing information or advice. When a visit to the dentist is still necessary, a detailed medical history is already on file—and often photos as well—which makes the actual dental visit more efficient and allows the dentist to focus directly on the treatment. At the clinic, collaboration is an important part of the workflow, where dentists can assist one another in conducting digital assessments, such as in cases of trauma.
Folktandvården Nyhem has also introduced digital forms for occlusal assessments. Previously, these were filled out on paper and had to be scanned into the medical record, but now patients can easily enter the information digitally before their visit, and healthcare staff can transfer the responses to the medical record with the click of a button, saving administrative time and providing a better basis for treatment. Even simpler eruption checks are now done digitally, with the dentist assessing whether a child’s teeth have erupted as expected based on submitted photos.
QR codes posted in treatment rooms and the use of standard phrases in communication with patients lower barriers to care, while sending out questionnaires before and after visits helps both patients and practitioners be better prepared. At the same time, the practice has identified something very important—it’s not just about a new digital toolkit, but about a transformation of everyday practice:
“This contributes to a more accessible and resource-efficient way of working, where many issues can be resolved remotely.”
“Dare to try it! The tool should be part of our everyday routine.”
The team at Folktandvården Nyhem
Recognised for innovation – learnings and the road ahead
Folktandvården Halland has been recognized for a bold digital transformation in which these new ways of working have become a natural part of its core operations. Clear organizational buy-in, well-defined use cases, and internal ambassadors have been key to success.
“Implementation is complete – now it’s about finding all the benefits. We’ve established a development group to drive digital ways of working forward.”
–Anna Cavrak
Looking ahead
- Drive even higher volumes in the workflows that yield the greatest impact
- Optimize and streamline scheduling based on actual demand
- Expand to more use cases, such as caries monitoring (food diary), occlusal physiology, preventive dental care patients, and digital orientation sessions for children with dental anxiety.
- Further develop chat-based work methods to maintain high ratings and effective interactions.
- Foster internal knowledge sharing through a development group where employees shape the next generation of digital workflows.
Results two years after go-live:
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90% of one-year checkups take place digitally
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30% of information consultations on orthodontic treatment are digital
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Average response time:
8 minutes
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Expected freed-up chair time at the clinics:
> 20 working weeks per year -
Patient satisfaction: Rating 4.4 out of 5
Ready to take the next step?
Want to learn more about how digital flows can free up time, improve accessibility, and create more predictable ways of working in dentistry? Get in touch — we’re happy to share experiences, approaches, and learnings from the implementation.