Healthcare Providers' Perspectives on Teledentistry Use in Supporting Oral Care of First Nations Children: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Facilitating pediatric oral healthcare access in remote First Nations communities in Canada is a challenge due to costs, accessibility, and provider availability. A diverse healthcare workforce confronts this task and could benefit from teledentistry utilization. AIM: Understand the perspectives of healthcare providers in remote First Nations communities on the potential benefits of teledentistry to improve access to pediatric oral healthcare. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study design was used to elaborate on the experiences of community-based healthcare providers. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted virtually. Thematic analysis was applied to interview transcripts, which were then organized and categorized into recurring themes. RESULTS: Dental professionals, nurses, and a paramedic participated in the study. Themes that emerged included "facilitating interprofessional collaboration, documentation, and communication"; "mitigating burden for patients and the system"; "delivering education"; and "concerns with feasibility." Knowledge mobilization feedback from community members was confirmatory of the results. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that teledentistry can be beneficial in supporting healthcare providers serving remote First Nations communities, where access to and sustainability of oral healthcare are a challenge. The favored response to teledentistry reflects that this medium could aid in addressing the management of the considerable levels of oral disease among the pediatric population.