Teledentistry in pediatric dentistry: Postgraduate dental students’ knowledge, practice, and attitudes

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate postgraduate pediatric dental students’ knowledge, practice, and attitudes toward teledentistry and identify potential applications of this technology in pediatric dentistry. Methods: An online questionnaire was sent to all students through Google Forms. The questionnaire included questions about socio-demographic information, knowledge, practice, and attitudes regarding teledentistry and the use of teledentistry during coronavirus disease 2019. Results: Before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, only 8.2% of students knew teledentistry. However, this increased to 45% after the pandemic, with differences depending on the student's clinical experience. Teledentistry was reported as useful for medicine taking, follow-up consultations, and diagnosing soft tissue problems. Conclusions: Integrating teledentistry topics into the dental curriculum can increase awareness and adoption of this technology in pediatric dentistry. Dental students need to be aware of its potential applications.