Teledentistry program could address treatment compliance among underserved children

A synchronous teledentistry program could be effective at improving adherence to dental treatment among pediatric patients residing in rural areas.

In a study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association, researchers examined the dental records of 1,168 pediatric patients in the Western region of New York who participated in the synchronous teledentistry program, which was launched in 2010 with the goal of increasing oral health screenings, treatment planning and treatment completion.

The researchers discovered that just more than 81% of the participants completed their recommended treatment within six months of their teledentistry appointments. Treatment completion was higher for in-office consultation compared with oral sedation and operating room treatment — with nitrous oxide anxiolysis having the lowest compliance. Further, older age reduced the rate of treatment completion.

The findings demonstrated that synchronous teledentistry may be help facilitate treatment completion to this patient population.

Read more: JADA

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