Teledentistry and its use in dental education.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Teledentistry is a relatively new field that combines telecommunication technology and dental care. Most dentists and dental educators are unaware that teledentistry can be used not only for increased access to dental care, but also for advanced dental education.

TYPE OF STUDIES REVIEWED:
The authors describe teledentistry as it is applied worldwide, as well as its uses in education. Teledentistry in education can be divided into two main categories:
self-instruction and interactive videoconferencing. Both of these methods have been used in several studies and countries.

RESULTS:
The type of network connectivity used greatly affects the feasibility of teledentistry education. Furthermore, no optimal type exists, but health care professionals should choose the mode based on budget, geography and technical support available. Of the two main categories of teledentistry in education, the interactive videoconferencing method has had better results because of its ability to provide immediate feedback.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS:
Teledentistry can extend care to underserved patient populations, such as those in rural areas, at a reasonable cost. Teledentistry provides an opportunity to supplement traditional teaching methods in dental education, and will provide new opportunities for dental students and dentists.

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Author information

Author/s: Chen, Jung-Wei (JW); Hobdell, Martin H (MH); Dunn, Kim (K); Johnson, Kathy A (KA); Zhang, Jiajie (J);

Affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, Dental Branch, 77030, USA. chen27(-atsign-)hotmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Journal of the American Dental Association (1939) (J Am Dent Assoc), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 134 (issue 3) : pp 342-6

Dates: Created 2003/04/17; Completed 2003/06/18; Revised 2005/11/16;

PMID: 12699048, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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