Modelling the implementation of teledentistry for rural and remote pediatric patients

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A field study was organized to demonstrate that teledentistry can improve access to specialist dental care, and can bring savings in terms of time, stress and money from avoiding travel to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne for consultation. An alternative model to traditional oral health examination to assist in the provision of regular and timely oral health examinations and assessments was tested using trained intra-oral camera operators and assistants in the first instance and specialist oral health support to the local health care facility, when the required treatment need is identified. The present study identified that there is potential for the Royal Children’s Hospital Department of Dentistry to increase productivity with the implementation of teledentistry without needing to build additional dental surgeries.

Conflict of interest. The author declare no conflict of interest