Mobile Applications in Oral Healthcare: A Scoping Review
Vinej Somaraj, Akila Ganesh, Krishnaswami Venkateshwaran, Kuzhanchinathan ManigandanAbstract
Objective:
Education regarding oral health is essential for improving oral hygiene and is a vital component of dental care services. Mobile applications are effective resources for improving knowledge and skills among healthcare practitioners. This scoping review aimed to critically evaluate and summarize current research on the effectiveness of mobile applications in oral health care.
Methods:
Evidence documenting the reported effectiveness of mobile applications in dental education and therapeutic interventions among patients seeking dental treatment was included. A literature search of PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science was carried out for the period between 2015 and 2025, yielding 20,183 articles. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 26 articles were considered for the final review process.
Results:
On analysis of the included studies, mobile applications were reported as a useful additional tool in medical and dental education because they were cost-effective, adaptable, largely location-independent, and supported learning through online, offline, and simulation methods. The research evaluation indicated that digital applications have improved dental health knowledge, behavioral outcomes, and clinical assessment metrics across various age groups and genders. However, the strength of the evidence supporting these benefits varied across studies.
Conclusion:
Mobile applications used to provide oral healthcare demonstrated superior effectiveness in influencing patient behavior by enhancing oral hygiene awareness and compliance. Additional studies with detailed and broader clinical parameters are essential to validate the current use and effectiveness of mobile applications in dentistry.