[Teledentistry during covid-19]

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Epidemiology

Context:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adoption of remote healthcare solutions.
• Dental practices faced challenges in providing routine care and managing patient flow.
• Virtual consultations emerged as a critical tool for maintaining access to dental services.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the utility and benefits of teledentistry in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To explore how virtual technologies can enhance dental care delivery for both practitioners and patients.
• To identify key applications of teledentistry during public health crises.

Summary:

• A literature search identified teledentistry applications for virtual triage and remote patient assessment.
• Patient data, symptoms, and medical history were collected virtually.
• Urgent cases were managed with in-person visits, supplemented by telephone-based COVID-19 screening.

Impact:

• Teledentistry facilitates remote patient triage and consultation, improving access to care.
• Virtual modalities enable dentists to provide advice and manage non-emergency cases effectively.
• The study highlights teledentistry's role in adapting dental services during infectious disease outbreaks.