Assessment of Telehealth Efficacy in Delivering Preventive Oral Healthcare: A Study Examining Patient and Caregiver Perspectives in Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of patients and consultants regarding a telehealth-
based preventive oral healthcare program at the pediatric dentistry department of a private tertiary care dental
hospital in Pakistan
Material and Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was given to parents and guardians, and a focus group
with clinicians was conducted to gather data. To summarize the data, descriptive statistics, chi-square tests,
and theme analysis were utilized.
Results: Forty-five parents/guardians and six clinicians participated in the study. The kids mean age was 4
years (SD = 3.1 years), and most of the parents were between 30- and 39-years age group (56.4%). The
telehealth service demonstrated high satisfaction (78.1%) and acceptability (61.41%). Notably, native Urdu-
speaking were much more likely to agree that telehealth was a good way to provide preventive. Parents who
reported difficulty in accessing traditional dental visits were predominantly rated telehealth high in terms of
usefulness, technical quality, and satisfaction. Key themes from the consultants focus group was that it was
advantageous for patients with special needs or residing in rural areas, reduced burden on families, and an
increased emphasis on prevention.
Conclusions: The study findings underscore the continued benefits of integrating telehealth into the provision of
preventive oral health