Home telecare program on oral health

Abstract

This chapter describes the use of interactive videoconferencing as a strategy for oral hygiene training which may lead to a change in oral hygiene ser-vice delivery methods, an improvement in access to quality oral health care, and a reduction in oral disease burden on underserved populations. Clients who may benefit most from the oral home telecare are those who demonstrate cognitive impairment and/or physical disabilities, especially upper extremity dysfunction with manual dexterity impairment, and/or orofacial dysfunction. Preventive oral homecare via videoconferencing has been shown to build long-term habits for maintaining oral hygiene among people with chronic medical conditions or dis-abilities, thereby maintaining the continuity of care with conventional dental care services. Oral home telecare educational and training services provided by occupa-tional therapists can be integrated into a broader, interdisciplinary, comprehensive telerehabilitation delivery program to enhance the patient’s general health and overall quality of life.