Applicable of teledentistry and digital platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic among dentists in Fiji: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives This research aims to explore the perception of dental officers (DOs) and dental managers (DMs) on the use of teledentistry and digital platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji. Methods This qualitative study was conducted among 30 DOs and 17 DMs. The study was conducted in private dental clinics, government dental clinics and the School of Dentistry and Oral Health clinic (SDOH), in the Central Division, Fiji that were selected randomly. The participants were selected using the purposive sampling method using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected through in-depth interviews via zoom using a self-developed semi-structure open-ended interview questionnaire. Manual thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Results Five themes emerged from data analysis: utilization of teledentistry and media during the pandemic, usefulness of teledentistry, confidence with teledentistry and digital platforms-associated risks, digital platforms for record keeping, and teledentistry promotion and training. Teledentistry was mostly utilized by private practitioners and the oral surgery department. Practitioners were not in favour of teledentistry as they thought it was putting them at risk. Conclusion Majority of DOs and DMs were not utilizing teledentistry except for a few private dental practitioners and the oral surgery department. Future research can be conducted in other divisions and include other healthcare professionals.