Dental Monitoring: Track Your Orthodontic Progress from Home

Starting orthodontic treatment is a big commitment — and once you’re in braces or aligners, you want to know your treatment is on track between visits. At Richmond Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we use the Dental Monitoring app to check in on your progress every week, right from your smartphone. It means fewer surprises, fewer emergency appointments, and more efficient treatment at our four orthodontic offices across Short Pump, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, and Richmond.

What Is Dental Monitoring?

Dental Monitoring is an AI-powered app used by orthodontists to track patient treatment between in-office visits. Using a small device called a ScanBox that attaches to your phone, you take a quick scan of your teeth at home — typically once a week — and send it directly to your RPDO orthodontist through the app.

From there, our team reviews your scan through an AI-assisted platform that tracks more than 130 oral observations, including tooth movement, appliance fit, gum health, and oral hygiene. If everything looks good, you keep going. If something needs attention, we catch it early — before it becomes a bigger issue.

It works for both braces and clear aligners. In May 2024, Dental Monitoring became the first remote monitoring software of its kind to receive FDA De Novo clearance as a Software as a Medical Device for orthodontic treatment — a meaningful signal that the platform meets a recognized clinical standard, not just a convenience app.

Why We Invested in It

Dr. Kevin Bibona recently completed a two-day in-office training course led by Dr. Benton at Braces by Benton in Anniston, Alabama — one of the leading practices in the country for Dental Monitoring implementation. The visit was focused entirely on learning how high-performing orthodontic offices use Dental Monitoring to sharpen communication with patients, reduce unnecessary chair time, and improve clinical outcomes.

We’ve been using Dental Monitoring at RPDO since January, and the results have been immediate: fewer emergency appointments, better oral hygiene compliance, and more productive in-office visits. This is exactly the kind of continuing education investment that keeps care at our practice a step ahead. You can read more about how our team brings advanced training back to Richmond on our blog.

What It Means for You as a Patient

The biggest benefit most patients notice is fewer appointments that feel like they’re just checking a box. When your orthodontist can see how your treatment is progressing every week through your scans, in-office visits become more purposeful. You come in when there’s something to do — not just to confirm that things look fine. For busy families, fewer unnecessary appointments can also mean fewer missed school hours, sports practices, and time away from work.

Here’s what Dental Monitoring makes possible during your treatment:

Weekly progress tracking. Your orthodontist reviews your scans regularly rather than waiting six to eight weeks between appointments to assess where things stand.

Faster issue detection. If an aligner isn’t tracking correctly, a bracket has shifted, or your gum tissue is showing signs of irritation, we can flag it and respond before it delays your treatment.

Better oral hygiene feedback. Braces and aligners make it harder to keep teeth clean. Dental Monitoring lets us monitor hygiene between visits and send reminders or guidance through the app when we see it slipping. (Our guide to cleaning teeth with braces or aligners covers the basics worth staying on top of.)

Real-time communication. Have a question about your treatment? The app includes a direct messaging feature so you can reach our team without playing phone tag.

A record of your progress. The app builds a Progress Reel — a before-and-after smile evolution that lets you watch your teeth move over the course of treatment. For teens in treatment especially, seeing that visual proof of progress is a real motivation boost.

1. You receive a ScanBox. This small device attaches to your smartphone camera to capture consistent, high-quality intraoral images.
2. You download the DM app from the App Store or Google Play. Your RPDO team sends you a personal activation link.
3. You scan on your schedule. The app walks you through each step and notifies you when it’s time for your next scan. Most scans take just a few minutes.
4. You come in when it counts. Rather than fixed appointment intervals, your in-office visits are scheduled based on what your treatment actually needs.

Available for Braces and Clear Aligners

Dental Monitoring works across treatment types. Whether you’re in traditional metal braces, ceramic braces, Spark Clear Aligners, or Invisalign, the app can track your progress and keep your orthodontist informed between appointments.

For aligner patients specifically, one of the most practical benefits is knowing when you’re actually ready to move to your next tray. Rather than advancing on a fixed schedule and hoping the fit is right, your orthodontist can confirm through your weekly scan that your teeth have moved enough before giving you the go-ahead. It’s a small thing that makes a real difference in keeping treatment on track, whether you’re in Invisalign or Spark Clear Aligners.

If you’re still deciding which treatment is right for you, our braces and clear aligners pages walk through the differences in detail. You can also learn more about what to expect when you come in for your first visit at our orthodontic consultation page.

A Note on What This Isn’t

Dental Monitoring is a tool that supports your orthodontist’s clinical judgment — it doesn’t replace it. Scans are reviewed by our team, and every treatment decision is made by a specialty-trained orthodontist with your full clinical picture in mind. The app is prescribed as part of your treatment plan, not something you sign up for independently.

It’s also worth noting that Dental Monitoring is not a direct-to-consumer orthodontics product. This isn’t the kind of mail-order aligner service that skips the clinical oversight. At RPDO, Dental Monitoring is used as a way to give your orthodontist more visibility into your treatment — not less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use Dental Monitoring?

Your RPDO orthodontist will let you know if Dental Monitoring is part of your treatment plan. For most patients, it’s incorporated as a standard part of care — and most find it more convenient than more frequent in-office check-ins.

What if my scan doesn’t look right?

The app guides you through the scanning process step by step. If an image doesn’t meet the quality threshold, you’ll be prompted to retake it. Our team won’t act on a scan that doesn’t give us a clear picture.

Does it work for kids and teens?

Yes. Dental Monitoring is used for patients of all ages in orthodontic treatment. For younger patients, a parent typically helps with the weekly scans at home.

Will this mean I never come into the office?

No — in-office appointments are still a necessary part of treatment. What Dental Monitoring changes is the reason you come in. Visits are driven by your treatment needs, not a fixed calendar. Most patients find they have fewer low-value appointments and more productive ones.

What does my orthodontist actually see?

Your orthodontist reviews AI-analyzed images of your teeth, gums, and appliances. The platform flags specific observations — tooth movement, hygiene status, appliance fit, and gum tissue health — so our team knows exactly what to look for before your scan results are reviewed.

Can Dental Monitoring shorten orthodontic treatment?

It can help keep treatment moving efficiently by allowing your orthodontist to identify tracking issues, hygiene concerns, or appliance problems earlier than a standard appointment schedule would catch them. It does not guarantee faster treatment, but it reduces the risk of delays caused by problems that go unnoticed between visits.

Is the app free?

The Dental Monitoring app itself is free to download. The ScanBox device is provided as part of your treatment at RPDO.

Orthodontic Care That Keeps Pace With Your Life

Families across Richmond, Short Pump, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, and the greater RVA area are busy. Squeezing in another orthodontic check-in — especially when there’s nothing to report — is a real inconvenience. For college students at VCU, the University of Richmond, or Randolph-Macon who can’t easily get home for routine appointments, it removes a genuine barrier to staying on track with orthodontic treatment as an adult. Dental Monitoring is one of the ways RPDO is working to make treatment fit your schedule without cutting corners on the care you get.

If you’re starting to research orthodontic treatment, or you’re already a patient with questions about how Dental Monitoring works at RPDO, we’re happy to walk you through it. Free consultations are available at all four of our orthodontic locations.

Learn more about our orthodontic services or explore what makes RPDO different from other practices in the Richmond area.