The Exponential Rise of Teledentistry and Patient-Oriented Protective Measures in Southeast Asian Dental Clinics: Concerns, Benefits, and Challenges

Abstract

In the Southeast Asian region, various policies have been advocated by health regulatory bodies that entail protective measures such as face masks, gloves, maintaining distance in public areas, and more. These protective measures are aimed at helping reverse the growth rate of the coronavirus. Dentists in this region have incorporated several changes to their practices to help minimize risks of person-to-person transmission inside dental offices. This narrative review aimed to provide an in-depth overview of the current situation in the Southeast Asian region regarding the use of teledentistry during the pandemic. Teledentistry involves the transfer of patient information across remote distances for online consultation and treatment planning. A few years back, it used to be a lesser-known entity but has seen an exponential rise in its incorporation into dental practices all around the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) region. Many clinics in the Southeast Asian region have started using online consultations to ensure that patients can be diagnosed or followed up during their treatment. Teledentistry is the clear answer in the coming months as it will help reduce the risk of virus transmission and help patients get access to oral healthcare and dentists to see their patients. This article reviews the current pandemic situation in the ASEAN region, the recent evidence, and the scope of teledentistry. It also provides recommendations for the future and sheds light on the different types of teledentistry and how it can be incorporated into practices by regulatory authorities in this region.

Knowledge and Acceptance of the COVID-19 Vaccine for COVID-19 Disease Prevention among the Indian Population: A Mixed-Method Study

“…While a copious amount of information is available on social media platforms a lot may be misleading. Thus, increased responsibility of national or international health care organizations as well as of oneself is important to take care of fraudulent information hence globally effective campaigns should be run to make everyone know about the need for COVID-19 vaccination against this pandemic [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

Is Teledentistry a Method for Optimizing Dental Practice, Even in the Post-Pandemic Period? An Integrative Review

“…In addition, for the year 2021 the interest regarding TD increased, and several articles were published. While Marya et al [35] concentrated their research on the different modalities of using teledentistry, such as storing the data and forwarding them to a dental practitioner, monitoring patients remotely, and live video sessions between dentist and patient, as well as providing virtual oral healthcare via mobile devices, the literature review published by Kumar et al [36] identified the three zones in which TD is used in Malaysia: educational institutions, government-based dental clinics, and private practices.…”

Teledentistry Approaches for Dental Assessments and Consultation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Although challenges were encountered with the implementation, including internet speeds, technical issues and political clearance, many clinics in Southeast Asian countries started to apply teledentistry in order to provide diagnosis and follow ups for their patients. 17 A notable difference between high and low-income countries was that developed nations such as the US had already adopted and applied teledentistry prior to the pandemic. The rationale was to increase accessibility to health care services and provide services to rural and remote areas.…”