Acceptability and Usability of a Digital Medicines Tool for Dental Practitioners in four Southeast Asian Countries

TL;DR

A digital tool for dental prescribing was tested in four Southeast Asian countries and found to be acceptable and usable, though improvements like local databases and mobile access are needed.

Contribution

The study evaluates a dental-specific drug tool in multiple Southeast Asian countries, highlighting its usability and the need for localization.

Findings

Most participants found MIMS Drugs4dent improved their ability to prescribe according to guidelines.

Participants reported the tool was easy to use and allowed quick access to information.

A preference for local drug databases and mobile versions was identified to enhance usability.

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health emergency and a prominent issue in Southeast Asia. There is also a lack of dental-specific drug resources to assist with medication management for dentists. Our dental-specific decision support tool, MIMS Drugs4dent, was developed to assist Australian dentists optimize their prescribing. The aim of this study was to trial MIMS Drugs4dent for acceptability and usability with dental practitioners in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

This was a cross-sectional study of MIMS Drugs4dent with dental practitioners in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Dental practitioners were provided access to MIMS Drugs4dent for 1 month. After the intervention period, participants completed an online survey that assessed their perceptions of the tool. The primary outcome was the acceptability and usability of MIMS Drugs4dent, using the Framework for Acceptability and System Usability Scale, respectively. The secondary outcome was to determine the resources used by dental practitioners for drug information. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, respectively.

From January to June 2025, 30 dentists from each country participated. Most participants (93.4% and 94.2%) agreed or strongly agreed that MIMS Drugs4dent can improve their ability to prescribe according to guidelines and access dental-relevant drug information, respectively. Most participants (88.3% and 82.5%) agreed or strongly agreed that MIMS Drugs4dent was easy to use and that information could be located quickly. However, participants preferred a local drug database and a mobile-rendered version to improve usability. A wide range of sources (n = 62) were reported to be used for medicines information.

MIMS Drugs4dent had high acceptability and usability in this study. With adaptation using country-specific localised drug databases, the tool has potential for use in dentistry in these countries. The study underscores the importance of including dentistry in broader digital health strategies.

Figures