The University of Western Australia is highlighting a feasibility study showing that a smartphone app can remotely screen children's teeth. The study was published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry.
The app, designed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, was created in response to restrictions on healthcare delivery caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study, led by Dr. Somayyeh Azimi from the university, involved 42 families who used the app. Parents were asked to take good-quality photos of their children's mouths, which were then uploaded to the app via a secure server.
"This method enabled high-accuracy screening of healthy children without tooth decay and those with evidence of cavities," Azimi said in a news article published on the university's website.
"It has the potential to prioritise dental needs, mainly where dental care access is limited, and to reduce waiting times for consultation and travel times to dental clinics. It may also lead to better determining the urgency of the need for treatment and the nature of treatment required, as well as potentially reducing the complications of untreated tooth decay, such as dental infection."
Researchers said the next step will be to explore how to incorporate artificial intelligence to further accelerate examination and referral.
