Videoconferencing: what are the benefits for dental practice?

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Health Informatics
• Telemedicine

Background:

• The TeleDent team at Bristol University has investigated videoconferencing technology for over three years.
• General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) can benefit from understanding and implementing new technologies.
• Videoconferencing and 'store and forward' methods present novel approaches to dental care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explain videoconferencing technology and its relevance to GDPs.
• To explore promising applications of videoconferencing in dentistry, including professional updating and remote diagnostic support.
• To compare videoconferencing with 'store and forward' techniques for suitability and application in general dental practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of videoconferencing technology and its potential uses in dentistry.
• Discussion of necessary equipment, system types, and associated costs.
• Outline of a procedure for remote referrals using videoconferencing.
• Analysis of 'store and forward' techniques as an alternative to live video consultations.

Main Results:

• Videoconferencing can facilitate professional updating for dentists.
• Diagnostic support can be provided effectively at a distance.
• Both videoconferencing and 'store and forward' offer distinct advantages for different dental practice needs.

Conclusions:

• Videoconferencing technology presents valuable opportunities for enhancing dental practice.
• The choice between videoconferencing and 'store and forward' depends on specific clinical needs and purposes.
• Further exploration is needed to determine the optimal integration of these technologies for GDPs.