New Australian dental screening app for children

Researchers at The University of Western Australia have successfully completed a feasibility study on an app which enables remote screening of children’s teeth by dental professionals. 

The app, created in responses to restrictions on healthcare delivery during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has, the university says, "ongoing potential for use in remote and lower socioeconomic areas." 

As part of a collaborative study was led by UWA researchers Dr Somayyeh Azimi, Dr Jilen Patel and Dr Mohamed Estai in conjunction with Telethon Kids Institute and Joondalup Health Campus, 42 families took good-quality photos of their children’s mouths which were then uploaded to the app and made available to dental professionals via a secure server. 

Dr Azimi, from UWA’s School of Human Sciences, who notes that this method "enabled high-accuracy screening of healthy children without tooth decay and those with evidence of cavities” spoke about how the impact this could have on dental care in rural and remote regions. 

“It has the potential to prioritise dental needs, mainly where dental care access is limited, and to reduce waiting times for consultation and travel times to dental clinics. 

“It may also lead to better determining the urgency of the need for treatment and the nature of treatment required, as well as potentially reducing the complications of untreated tooth decay, such as dental infection.” 

Building on the success of research to date, Dr Azimi says future work will explore incorporating AI technology "to further accelerate examination and referral." 

For the full original article, visit "Researchers all smiles about dental screening app"