Table 2 Teledentistry use among dental professionals
From: Teledentistry use during the COVID-19 pandemic: perceptions and practices of Ontario dentists
Variable | N | (%) |
|---|---|---|
Use of Teledentistry (n = 456) | ||
Yes, before pandemic | 60 | 13.1 |
Yes, during pandemic | 165 | 36.2 |
No | 222 | 48.7 |
Unspecified | 9 | 2.0 |
Teledentistry modes during the pandemica (n = 225) | ||
Telephone/mobile phone | 51 | 11.2 |
Live virtual calls (Zoom, Skype etc.) | 13 | 2.9 |
Capturing photos from patient’s cell phone | 40 | 8.8 |
Capturing photos via intra oral cameras | 9 | 2.0 |
Email containing patient information (photos, charts) | 38 | 8.3 |
File hosting service (e.g. dropbox, google drive) | 4 | 0.9 |
Third party platforms (e.g. Dentists online, Turnkey) | 2 | 0.4 |
Reasons for not using Teledentistry (n = 218) | ||
No interest | 118 | 54.1 |
Low awareness of benefit | 64 | 29.3 |
Privacy concerns | 38 | 17.4 |
Lack of technological infrastructure | 35 | 16.1 |
Cost | 21 | 9.6 |
Other Reasons: (Billing issues, Associates who have no say, “unnecessary”) | 68 | 31.2 |
Level of comfort discussing teledentistry (n = 390) | ||
Very comfortable | 28 | 7.2 |
Comfortable | 71 | 18.2 |
Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable | 178 | 45.6 |
Uncomfortable | 64 | 12.6 |
Very uncomfortable | 49 | 16.4 |
Usage frequency during pandemic (n = 390) | ||
Always | 5 | 1.3 |
Often | 28 | 7.2 |
Sometimes | 97 | 24.9 |
Rarely | 146 | 37.4 |
Never | 114 | 29.2 |
Sources of Teledentistry information (n = 456) | ||
Professional association guidelines | 318 | 69.7 |
Provincial Ministry of Health guidelines | 105 | 23.0 |
Research articles | 28 | 6.1 |
Third party sources | 21 | 4.6 |
Health blogs | 12 | 2.6 |
Other (e.g. conferences, peers, webinars) | 13 | 2.9 |
Unspecified | 127 | 27.9 |