Teledentistry Improves Access to Oral Care: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Dental Public Health
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Limited research exists on telehealth for preventive dental care.
• Teledentistry, including remote screening and health promotion, needs evaluation for school-aged children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of teledentistry in enhancing oral health among school-aged children.
• To compare teledentistry with traditional in-person preventive oral care.

Main Methods:

• A cluster randomized controlled trial involved 175 children (4-15 years) across six Western Australian schools.
• Intervention group received teledentistry screenings; control group received in-person examinations by oral health therapists (OHTs).
• Primary outcomes measured were decay experience (dft/DFT index) and caries conversion rates after nine months.

Main Results:

• 164 children completed the nine-month follow-up.
• No significant difference in the incidence of dental caries between the teledentistry (10%) and control (12%) groups (p=0.7).
• Baseline caries prevalence was similar in both groups (47% control, 46% teledentistry).

Conclusions:

• Teledentistry demonstrates comparable efficacy to traditional preventive oral care for maintaining children's oral health.
• Teledentistry presents a viable strategy for increasing access to preventive dental services.
• This approach is particularly beneficial for reaching disadvantaged communities with limited access to care.