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 A picture may be worth a thousand words, but for two oral health care teams in North Carolina, it’s the numbers that are invaluable. “Data gives you a concrete picture of your practice,” says Rebecca Sykes, DDS, the dental director for Wake County Department of Health and Human Services Dental Clinic, a local health department, in North Carolina.

In just one school year, Blue Ridge Health in North Carolina has helped more than 1,200 children get the dental care they need through teledentistry. But that help comes with its challenges. “Internet connectiv . . .” says Ben Cozart, DDS, the dental director at Blue Ridge Health, cutting out, on cue, as he was explaining the program during a phone call.

While most kids hated wearing braces in fifth grade, Alayna Schoblaske, DMD, was the exception. That was when she realized she wanted to be a dentist. “I haven’t turned back since,” she says. Schoblaske came from a family of engineers and teachers, so the idea of working with her hands while educating patients about their oral health felt like a great fit. And she was fascinated by the impact teeth could have on a person — which led her to her ultimate calling of community dentistry to help patients in underserved areas.