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Assessing Teledentistry versus In-Person Examinations to Detect Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
K Casas1, L DiPede2,3, S Toema4
1Department of Oral Health Sciences, Temple University Maurice H Kornberg School of Dentistry, Oral Health Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
JDR Clinical and Translational Research
|March 13, 2025
Summary
Teledentistry is an effective method for diagnosing dental caries, showing diagnostic accuracy comparable to in-person examinations. This remote assessment approach enhances access to dental care.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Digital Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Lack of recent consensus on teledentistry's effectiveness for dental caries diagnosis post-COVID-19.
- Need for updated evidence on remote versus in-person caries assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the diagnostic accuracy of teledentistry compared to in-person examinations for dental caries.
- To assess sensitivity, specificity, and other diagnostic parameters.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 peer-reviewed studies (2013-2021).
- Searches in PubMed and CINAHL databases, screened using PRISMA-DTA guidelines.
- Quality assessment with QUADAS-2 and JBI checklists; meta-analysis in R using MADA package.
Main Results:
- Teledentistry diagnostic parameters: sensitivity (45.6%-88.3%), specificity (55.2%-98.3%), accuracy (70%-96%).
- Kappa scores for teledentistry ranged from 0.46 to 0.89, indicating good consistency.
- Multivariable analysis yielded a diagnostic odds ratio of 35.14, favoring teledentistry for true positive detection.
Conclusions:
- Teledentistry demonstrates effective and comparable diagnostic accuracy for dental caries versus in-person diagnosis.
- Remote assessments are consistent, supporting teledentistry as a reliable tool.
- Teledentistry can improve access to oral healthcare, especially when in-person visits are limited.
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