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.