Teledentistry: A Key Component in Access to Care

Teledentistry has the potential to address the oral care needs of those who have limited access to care. More research is needed to establish the evidence base to support teledentistry practice.Background and PurposeEnormous potential exists to improve oral health services throughout the world by using information and communication technologies, such as teledentistry to expand access to primary, secondary and tertiary care. Comparison of teledentistry procedures with standard clinical procedures can demonstrate the relative effectiveness and cost of each approach. However, due to insufficient evidence, it is unclear how these strategies compare for improving and maintaining oral health, quality of life, and reducing health care costs. This review discusses the merits of teledentistry for the delivery of oral care.MethodsThis article summarizes the available literature related to the efficacy and effectiveness of teledentistry and presents possible barriers to its broader adoption.ConclusionsTeledentistry seems to be a promising path for providing oral health services where there is a shortage of oral health care providers.