The evolution of the teledentistry landscape in Australia: A scoping review.

INTRODUCTION

There has been a recent surge in the use of teledentistry services in Australia that has paralleled the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the limited published literature reflecting on this transition, this article employed a systematic scoping review methodology.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to explore the role of teledentistry in the provision of clinical dental services in Australia.

DESIGN

Two independent reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and grey literature sources to identify literature eligible for inclusion. The search was restricted to Australia and service delivery. Data were categorically synthesised by modalities and reported benefits and limitations; findings were cross-referenced with the COVID-19 pandemic timeline.

FINDINGS

The systematic search identified 758 articles, of which 25 met the inclusion criteria. Results highlight a range of service providers and definitions of teledentistry. A shift in modality from asynchronous towards synchronous teledentistry pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic is detailed.

DISCUSSION

Whilst highly useful during the COVID-19 pandemic, teledentistry provides a unique opportunity to continue to increase the accessibility of dental services, especially for patients in rural areas or those who are immunocompromised.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians and researchers must consider opportunities to merge existing research with the recent clinical uptake of teledentistry for patients that would benefit from teledental services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.