Teledentistry: A Relevant Tool for Improving Oral Health Among Older Adults Living in Rural Areas?

Abstract

The objective of WP2 is to develop the use of teledentistry across the different territories involved in the project. We replicated the e-DENT programme, which has already been implemented in the city of Montpellier for more than 12 years. The programme consists of a remote oral health assessment and is structured into four stages: The “visit”: a healthcare professional (nurse, nursing assistant), previously trained in the basics of dentistry (basic anatomy, main oral diseases, etc.) and in the use of the required equipment, collects the information necessary for the dentist’s remote analysis. This includes medical information, medications, and clinical images captured using an intraoral camera with fluorescent light technology. Data transmission: all collected data are transmitted securely and asynchronously. Analysis: the remote dentist reviews and analyses the data in order to establish a diagnosis, propose a treatment plan, and define an appropriate care pathway according to the patient’s cognitive status, general health condition, and oral health status. Feedback of the assessment: all recommendations made by the dentist are summarised in a PDF document, which is transmitted back through the system to the patient’s healthcare team. We have started implementing this approach in the three participating countries while adapting to the various administrative, regulatory, and organisational challenges encountered. We hope to be able to draw conclusions regarding the relevance of teledentistry in rural areas and its potential for broader implementation across the three countries. Following the presentation of the activities, we will open the discussion with participants to gather comments, critiques, and proposals regarding this type of practice and its potential relevance in other settings.