Teledentistry: a systematic review of clinical outcomes, utilization and costs

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic review is to identify clinical outcomes, health care utilization and costs associated with teledentistry. Relevant databases were searched for articles on teledentistry published until March 2012, reference lists examined and key journals hand searched. Of a possible 58 articles, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. Clinical outcomes were generally improved following a teledentistry intervention and satisfaction with teledentistry was consistently high. The few studies examining health care utilization reported mixed findings, but preliminary evidence suggests cost savings for health care facilities. There is a consistent trend in the literature supporting the efficacy and effectiveness of teledentistry. Further research is needed to identify the effectiveness, efficiency, utilization and costs of teledentistry as it could provide the key to improving access to care.

Keywords: access to care; dental hygiene; outcomes; teledentistry; telehealth; telemedicine; videoconference.