Exploring the Awareness and Use of Teledentistry Among Dental Professionals in A Nigerian University Teaching Hospital; A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract Objectives: Teledentistry is an emerging practice with a potential to significantly impact both the evolving landscape of dental clinical practice and public health delivery. The practice typically includes a variety of components and activities such as the use of electronic data and audiovisual communication technologies in diagnosis and delivery of oral health care, dental care delivery despite geographical distances, (especially in rural, and remote areas) among others. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness and use of teledentistry, in oral health care delivery among dental professionals of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals’ Complex, (OAUTHC) Ile-Ife. Osun State, Nigeria Materials and Method: A structured self-administered questionnaire designed with four-point Likert scale ideal was administered to all dental health care professionals in the hospital. The questionnaire had relevant sections, designed to elicit unbiased and honest responses from the participants, about their demographics, level of awareness and use of teledentistry, knowledge of teledentistry, and perceptions on the potential uses of teledentistry, ethical consideration and possible barriers to the use of teledentistry. Results: All professionals in the hospital (100%) completed the questionnaire. Participants were 65 males, and 36 females, aged 20 -70 years. They were mostly Resident Doctors (44.6%) aged 30 - 40years. The level of awareness and use of teledentistry among dental professionals in this study was 49.9% and 4.1% respectively. 51.1% of respondents had no prior concept of the idea on the use of teledentistry in oral health care delivery. The Resident doctors appear to be the most informed than all other categories while the Dental therapists appear to be the least informed. Conclusions: The overall level of awareness about the use of teledentistry among all dental health care professionals in the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex was below average. It is important to stimulate and encourage the optimum application of teledentistry in the studied population in order to ensure improvements of oral health care delivery among them and numerous trainees passing through the teaching hospital.