Teledentistry filling gaps in dental care
A telehealth phone call with the dentist is helping deliver quick and accurate diagnoses for patients in their homes before they head into a dental clinic, providing a new way for dentists to help triage patients, according to Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) research on virtual health care deployed during COVID.
Teledentistry, as its commonly referred to, allows dental professionals to remotely screen and consult with patients to help determine the severity of presentations and the need for urgent management based on their condition.
The new approach was frequently used in the NBMLHD Oral Health service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new research study published in the Australian Dental Journal by NBMLHD researchers has highlighted the important role teledentistry played in public dentistry during this time and explores its future potential in the development of new models of care.
The retrospective study examined more than 1,900 consultations of patients who underwent both a teledentistry appointment followed by a face-to-face examination within a 7-day period within 2020 and 2021. Results revealed highly accurate diagnoses (74.08 – 99.95%) across a number of various dental conditions, such as dental abscesses, dry socket and salivary gland disease.
By using digital photographs from mobile phones along with a series of questions with a consulting dental clinician over the telephone, the Oral Health team were able to help facilitate a timely and accurate assessment of a patient’s dental condition and trauma, and determine if a face-to-face dental appointment was needed.
NBMLHD Oral Health Promotion and Research Coordinator, Tanya Mahony and lead author of the study, says teledentistry proved useful in triaging patients, prioritising urgent cases, and managing non-urgent cases, especially during periods of restricted access to care and restricted movement across the district.
“The high specificity of teledentistry demonstrates its potential as a valuable tool for efficiently allocating resources by accurately identifying cases that require immediate or urgent attention,” says Tanya.
By providing a virtual platform for initial consultations, patients can receive timely advice and triaging without the barriers posed by geographical distance or mobility issues.
“This aspect of teledentistry holds significant potential, particularly in health care systems with limited resources, where prioritising patients based on clinical urgency is essential for delivering timely and efficient care,” Tanya further explains.
Director of NBMLHD Oral Health Service and senior author of the study, Associate Professor Albert Yaacoub, says teledentistry has tremendous potential for continued growth and offers an opportunity to modify dental care provision that can benefit patient wellbeing.
“Teledentistry is a model of care that can be further refined and implemented into routine models. It allows us to tailor treatment plans and prioritise follow-up care, ensuring timely and appropriate management of dental conditions,” says Albert.
“There is more research that needs to be done but I see a future where, with greater technology infrastructure, this model is widely integrated within our service and business as usual for public dental health.”
Full findings of the research have been published are available to view online.
The study was part of a larger project which explored current perceptions of teledentistry as a model of care by dental clinicians. The research found that although teledentistry was a novel concept for most dental clinicians, it well accepted by participants of the study.