Awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of teledentistry among dental practitioners: a cross-sectional survey

TL;DR

This study explores how dental practitioners in Germany perceive teledentistry, finding that while most are aware of it, only a quarter fully understand it, and a majority support a teledentistry center.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the factors influencing dentists' acceptance of teledentistry, emphasizing clinical demand over professional experience.

Findings

Over 70% of dentists were familiar with teledentistry, but only 25% understood its full scope.

71% supported a regional teledentistry center for better specialist communication and referrals.

Interest in teledentistry was strongly linked to the frequency of relevant clinical cases.

Abstract

Teledentistry has the potential to enhance access to dental care and interprofessional communication. However, its implementation depends strongly on practitioners’ acceptance and understanding. Therefore, this study aimed to assess dentists’ awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of teledentistry and to examine how professional experience, anticipated frequency of use, and practice size influence their attitudes. Furthermore, the interest in a dedicated teledentistry centre was evaluated.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 362 dentists. A 16-item questionnaire was distributed via SoSci Survey and in paper form. Statistical analysis included chi-square and Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact tests (P < .05).

Of the 362 dentists invited, 187 completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 52%. More than 70% of participants were familiar with the term teledentistry, yet only one quarter demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of its scope. About one third (32%) had previously used teledentistry in clinical practice. A large majority (71%) considered the establishment of a regional teledentistry centre beneficial, for improving communication with specialists and managing referrals, although their expectations regarding acceptable response times varied considerably between one day and one week. Interest in teledentistry showed no significant association with years of professional experience (P = .76) or the number of dentists in a practice (P = .598) but correlated significantly with the frequency of relevant clinical cases (P < .01, Cramér’s V = 0.449). Main concerns included diagnostic limitations without in-person contact and data privacy.

The study highlights a generally positive attitude toward teledentistry. The findings provide substantial support for the proposed initiative to establish a teledentistry centre, operating on the premise of the store-and-forward method. Familiarity with the concept and clinical demand influence acceptance more than professional experience or the number of practicing dentists in a dental office.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12903-026-07931-5.

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