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Table 3 Summery of the findings of 15 studies entered in the present study

From: Teledentistry during COVID-19 pandemic: scientometric and content analysis approach

The title of included articles

Citations

Centers providing teledentistry services

Teledentistry services

Software/ app used

Advantages of teledentistry

Disadvantages of teledentistry

Barriers/risks of

teledentistry

Health services provision of 48 public tertiary dental hospitals during the COVID-19 epidemic in China [13]

49

China General Dental Hospital

Tele-consultation

Remote assessment for identify the population at risk

Access way:

web-based mobile

WeChat

Data storage: -

Data processing:-

Clinical data integration, access to patients’ medical records, ease of referring patients to hospitals or dental clinics, improving medical care in rural and remote areas

Assessment of an Innovative Mobile Dentistry eHygiene Model Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network: Protocol for Design, Implementation, and Usability Testing [14]

0

US National Dental Research Network (pilot Study)

Tele-examinations

Electronic dental hygiene

Oral disease screening

Access way: -

Data storage: Mouthwatch TeleDent

Data storage: -

Data processing:-

Enhancing immunity during COVID-19 and other emerging epidemics, reducing the consumption of personal protective equipment (PPE)

Role of teledentistry in paediatric dentistry [15]

1

Newcastle Dental Hospital

Tele-consultation

Tele-triage

Access way: BigWord Translator for patients who needed English translation services,

Data storage: Microsoft Excel

Data processing:-

Reducing unnecessary travel of patients, reduction of unnecessary face-to-face examination, reduce the waiting list, increasing immunity in the era of Covid-19, reducing anxiety in patients with dental or social phobia, access to dental care for non-English speakers.

Not answering calls due to using withheld numbers, the quality of teleconsultation was dependent on the quality of radiographics,

distractions during phone calls and interference with receiving messages

The risk of misdiagnosis and mismanagement of patients due to the quality of received images, patient cooperation and the quality of dentist and patient IT devices, financial implications and disclosures of data/ Teledentistry services unsuitable for certain groups of patients, such as the hearing impaired or those requiring additional assistive communication devices, lack of access to teledentistry services due to not having a mobile phone or computer

Using an mHealth App (iGAM) to Reduce Gingivitis Remotely (Part 2): Prospective Observational Study [16]

0

The Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine

Remote Monitoring patients to reduce gingivitis

Remote oral health education

Access way: iGAM

M Health app

Data storage: -

Data processing:-

Promote gum health

Teledentistry applications for mitigating risk and balancing the clinical schedule [8]

1

Green Leaf Dental Care at St. Louis Metropolitan Area

Tele-triage

Tele-consultation

Hygiene assessment

Patient follow-up

Access way: synchronous

or asynchronous videoconference

Reducing contact between people during the Covid-19, reducing the volume of patients, reducing waiting time, eliminate the use of PPE

Lack of key functions for easy and reliable workflow management in current software platforms, lack of communication in current software platforms

Need more clinical data such as radiographs for differential diagnosis

Rapid deployment of an algorithm to triage dental emergencies during COVID-19 pandemic [17]

0

Columbia University College of Dentistry

Tele-visit

Tele-triage for Covid-19 symptoms and pain score

Access way: -

Data storage: -

Data processing: Decision tree algorithm for determining the course of treatment by following the instructions of CDCa, ADAb and CDMc

Optimal access to emergency dental services during Covid-19

Accurate screening of patients who needed emergency care based on a decision-making algorithm

Paediatric dental A&E service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater London area [18]

2

Pediatric Dentistry of St. Thomas Hospital

Tele-triage using the guidance of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Scottish Dental Clinic Effectiveness Program

Access way: secure email to send photos

Data storage: Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

Data processing

Effective and safety

The three-way call system was not available in urgent cases to solve the problem of patients who do not know English.

Phone counseling with parents and not children may affect the reliability of complaints.

Urgent dental care on a national level during the COVID-19 epidemic [19]

1

Slovenia at national level

Tele-triage

Access way: Telephone

Data storage: -

Data processing:-

Effective and safe dental care in the era of COVID-19

Reducing consumption of PPE and its efficient distribution among care providers

Lack of standardization in the data collection phase

Financial implications, involvement of a large number of dental health care workers in data collection and potential impact on data consistency

Effect of COVID-19 on dental telemedicine in Japan [20]

1

Japan Dental Clinic, Oral and Periodontal Surgery and Oral Pathology

The first examination face-to-face and follow-up by phone or online or video

Access way: Telephone, videoconference

Data storage: -

Data processing: -

Prevention of the spread of COVID-19 in young people and people with high IT literacy

Lack of IT literacy of the elderly to use smartphones and tablets

Low reimbursement of teledentistry compared to face-to-face examination, challenge in accurate diagnosis due to lack of access to visual information, medical history, systemic diseases of the patient via teleconsultation

Can Teledentistry Improve the Monitoring of Patients during the Covid-19 Dissemination? A Descriptive Pilot Study [21]

46

Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology at University of Magna Graecia Catanzaro, Italy

Tele-consultation of patients with chronic diseases

Remote examination of patients’ first visit

Access way: WhatsApp

Data storage: hard disks in compliance with the GDPRd

Data processing: -

Reduce cost and waiting time

Establishing a strong relationship between the doctor and the patient in the recovery process

Cost

security

Data privacy and its implications

 

The effective use of an e-dentistry service during the COVID-19 crisis [6]

5

UK Orthodontic Hospital

Tele-consultation

Tele-monitoring of orthodontic services

Access way: AA software, DeRS, phone 141, NHS Email

Data storage: -

Data processing: -

Saving time and money especially for people in remote areas, reducing waiting time, reducing environmental impact

Limitation in active treatment and adjustment of orthodontic equipment of patients, need to interact with patients in orthodontic services

Need to interact with orthodentis

Provision of emergency maxillofacial service during the COVID-19 pandemic: a collaborative five centre UK study [9]

23

Multicenter Study including Oral and Maxillofacial Units based at five NHS Hospitals

Tele-consultation

Access way: web-based application, telephone, video call

Data storage: web-based application

Data processing: automated algorithms

Reduction in the number of patients

The willingness of patients to teleconsultation due to saving money and time even after the pandemic

Different access levels of some treatment centers to video equipment or strong internet connections

Different levels IT equipment in treatment centers

Dental Emergencies Management in COVID-19 Pandemic Peak: A Cohort Study [22]

4

St. Luke University Clinic (Brussels, Belgium)

Tele-triage

Remote management of patients

Tele-consultation

Access way: Telephone, Email,

Data storage: systematic form

Data processing:-

Reduction of patient admissions, success in emergency management of patients and postponing definitive treatment to a month later

Sending images electronically

Dental Public Health in Action: Utilising a telephone triage system to run an Urgent Dental Care Hub during the COVID-19 pandemic [23]

0

NHS Foundation Hospitals in South West London

Tele-triage

Tele-consultation

Access way: Call 111, email

Data storage: Proforma

Data processing:-

Facilitate emergency dental care

Inability to perform clinical examination and radiographic observation of the patient through telephone triage

COVID-19 and Orthodontics: An Approach for Monitoring Patients at Home [24]

3

Private Dental Clinics in Italy

Tele-monitoring

Remote management of orthodontic patients

Access way: WhatsApp

Data storage: -

Data processing:-

High Patient cooperation, high speed response due to the use of WhatsApp

The quality of the images was different depending on the smartphone, which led to the orthodontist requesting retakes

Different quality of the images

  1. CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention, ADA American Dental Association, CDM The College of Dental Medicine, GDPR General Data Protection Regulation