Teledentistry in a Dental Students’ Examination – Assessing the Acceptance and Feasibility of a Virtual Dental Examination

Abstract

Due to the coronavirus pandemia, dental schools are facing a change onto virtual solutions. Teledentistry has proven to be an opportunity to bridge this gap. This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptance of a virtual dental examination. It took place during the final maxillofacial examination. Study participants were dental students and real inpatients. A video-call-software was used to carry out the examination. To assess the acceptance participants filled out a questionnaire afterwards. 22 patients answered the questionnaire. They didn’t ‘feel inhibited’ and had no ‘difficulties developing a relationship with the student’. 28 students answered the questionnaire. They found the conversation at eye level but expressed more inhibitions than the patients in a virtual setting, still finding themselves able to have an adequate doctor-patient conversation. Telemedicine seems well accepted on patients’ and students’ side, offering a safe alternative to enable students to maintain dental teaching in a pandemic situation.