Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026
A Standardized Approach to Extra-Oral and Intra-Oral Digital Photography
Published on: July 22, 2022
Digital oral health beyond professional dental care settings: A scoping review of technologies and applications from
Xiaoyu Chen1, Zhuohong Gong1, Zhaoting Ling1
1Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
Background:
Oral non-communicable diseases impose a substantial and unequally distributed global burden. Digital technologies have the potential to support Universal Health Coverage. However, evidence on their applications in oral health remains fragmented.
Objective:
To map the applications and maturity of digital oral health technologies used for primary and secondary prevention of oral diseases beyond professional dental care settings.
Methods:
Four databases were systematically searched for studies published through February 2026. Original studies of eligible digital oral health technologies were included. Findings were synthesized thematically, and technology readiness levels (TRLs) were mapped.
Results:
Overall, 305 studies were included. Digital oral health technologies for primary prevention of oral diseases focused on oral health education, behavior modification, and plaque monitoring, mainly through mHealth applications, conversational artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart toothbrushes. Applications for secondary prevention focused on detection and risk assessment of caries, periodontal and oral mucosal diseases, and other oral conditions, predominantly using structured-data, image-based models, and IoT-enabled devices. TRL mapping showed higher maturity of applications in primary versus secondary prevention.
Conclusion:
Digital oral health technologies are expanding from prevention to early detection, with potential to support more accessible and prevention-oriented dental care. However, technological maturity remains uneven, with primary prevention technologies closer to real-world deployment and secondary prevention technologies still requiring further validation before wider implementation.
Clinical Significance:
Mapping the status of digital oral health technologies can support oral disease prevention and guide evidence-based implementation in dental public health.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services
01:29Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
01:27The Oral Microbiota
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...