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Leveraging Digital Innovations for Universal Oral Health Coverage: Evaluation of a Teledentistry Programme among
Manu Raj Mathur1,2, Shehnaz Khan3, Ali Golkari1
1Dental Public Health and Primary Care, Queen Mary University of London, London, England.
Background:
As the global burden of oral diseases rises, cost-effective solutions are needed to overcome accessibility barriers in oral healthcare. In Indonesia, geographical challenges further limit access to dental services. Teledentistry has emerged as a promising intervention to bridge these gaps by enhancing access to professional guidance and promoting better oral hygiene practices. This paper evaluates a Teledentistry initiative that aims to support progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for oral health.
Methods:
This mixed-methods study evaluated the effectiveness of Unilever Oral Care's Teledentistry initiative (the Tanya Pepsodent "Talk to a Dentist" programme) rolled out in Indonesia. The quantitative component compared oral health outcomes between individuals who voluntarily engaged with the Teledentistry service after scanning a QR code printed on Pepsodent product packaging (test group) and those who participated via an online consumer panel and were demographically matched to the test group (control group). The qualitative component involved in-depth interviews with General Dentists to assess the app's usability and feasibility in providing dental care.
Results:
Quantitative findings showed that post-test group respondents increased their brushing frequency by an average of 1.06 times per week (i.e., cumulative weekly brushing frequency) and brushing duration by 0.15 min. They also experienced fewer difficulties with chewing and speech, and 62% reported intending to reduce the interval between dental visits. Qualitative findings revealed that dentists viewed the teledentistry service as an efficient alternative due to its flexible availability, including on weekends. They also noted that it helped reduce dental anxiety among patients. However, some challenges were identified, including long wait times and usability difficulties.
Conclusions:
The Teledentistry service led to improvements in average weekly brushing frequency and oral health awareness but did not improve perceived control or self-rated oral health. These mixed results suggest that while the service supports behaviour change, sustained impact may require integration with in-person care and continued professional support.
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