Comparative Analysis of Dental Patients' Perspectives on Teledentistry Methods During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Semarang, Indonesia

ABSTRACT Objective: To understand patients' perceptions of using teledentistry through virtual clinics versus telephone consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with an analytical and quantitative approach. The sample consisted of 644 dental patients with experience using teledentistry services in Semarang, Indonesia. The research instrument was a questionnaire with a Likert scale, and the study was conducted in a hybrid manner, both online and through direct visits to dental practices. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. The significance level was set at p<0.05. Results: The average score for the teledentistry via virtual clinic user group was 73.25, while for the telephone user group, it was 29.50. A significant difference in patient perceptions regarding teledentistry via virtual clinics and telephone was found (p<0.05). Conclusion: Patient perceptions of teledentistry through virtual clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a significantly greater positive response than teledentistry via telephone.