Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university
Introduction: COVID-19 disease has resulted in suspension of all nonurgent routine dental treatments. In view of COVID-19 situation, social distancing, movement restriction orders, and affected health care systems, there is an urgent need to resume and deliver oral health care remotely. Hence, alter...
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my.um.eprints.460462024-07-16T07:34:32Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/46046/ Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university Zain, Erum Rahman, Naomi Khan, Saad Ahmad Farook, Mohideen Salihu Khan, Erum Jubapu, Ayesha Shaziya Talreja, Nidhi Chan, Bing Hong Ng, Aaron Long Wai RK Dentistry Introduction: COVID-19 disease has resulted in suspension of all nonurgent routine dental treatments. In view of COVID-19 situation, social distancing, movement restriction orders, and affected health care systems, there is an urgent need to resume and deliver oral health care remotely. Hence, alternative means of dental care should be available for both patients and dentists. Therefore, this study aims to assess patients' readiness for teledentistry in Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 631 adult patients visiting the Faculty of Dentistry, SEGi University, from January 2020 to May 2021 in Selangor, Malaysia. A validated, self-administered, 5-point Likert scale online questionnaire comprising five domains was administered. (1) Patients' demographics and dental history, (2) patients' access to teledentistry, (3) patients' understanding towards teledentistry, (4) patients' willingness, and (5) barriers in using teledentistry were used to collect the required information.Results: Six hundred and thirty-one (n = 631) participants responded to the questionnaire. Ninety percent of patients were able to connect to Wi-Fi services independently and 77% participants were comfortable using online communication platforms. Seventy-one percent of the participants agreed that video and telephone clinics can reduce chances of infection rather than face-to-face consultation during the pandemic. Fifty-five percent of patients felt that virtual clinics would save time and 60% thought it could reduce travelling costs. Fifty-one percent showed their willingness to use video or telephone clinics when implemented at onsite clinics.Conclusion: Our study shows the readiness of patients to accept teledentistry as an alternative method of oral care if appropriate training and education are provided. The results of this study have prompted an increase in patients' education and shown a need to train clinicians and patients to integrate this technology at SEGi University. This might facilitate unhindered dental consultation and care in all situations. Mary and Liebert, inc 2024-01 Article PeerReviewed Zain, Erum and Rahman, Naomi and Khan, Saad Ahmad and Farook, Mohideen Salihu and Khan, Erum and Jubapu, Ayesha Shaziya and Talreja, Nidhi and Chan, Bing Hong and Ng, Aaron Long Wai (2024) Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university. Telemedicine and e-Health, 30 (1). pp. 214-222. ISSN 1530-5627, DOI https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2023.0075 <https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2023.0075>. 10.1089/tmj.2023.0075 |
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RK Dentistry Zain, Erum Rahman, Naomi Khan, Saad Ahmad Farook, Mohideen Salihu Khan, Erum Jubapu, Ayesha Shaziya Talreja, Nidhi Chan, Bing Hong Ng, Aaron Long Wai Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
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Introduction: COVID-19 disease has resulted in suspension of all nonurgent routine dental treatments. In view of COVID-19 situation, social distancing, movement restriction orders, and affected health care systems, there is an urgent need to resume and deliver oral health care remotely. Hence, alternative means of dental care should be available for both patients and dentists. Therefore, this study aims to assess patients' readiness for teledentistry in Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 631 adult patients visiting the Faculty of Dentistry, SEGi University, from January 2020 to May 2021 in Selangor, Malaysia. A validated, self-administered, 5-point Likert scale online questionnaire comprising five domains was administered. (1) Patients' demographics and dental history, (2) patients' access to teledentistry, (3) patients' understanding towards teledentistry, (4) patients' willingness, and (5) barriers in using teledentistry were used to collect the required information.Results: Six hundred and thirty-one (n = 631) participants responded to the questionnaire. Ninety percent of patients were able to connect to Wi-Fi services independently and 77% participants were comfortable using online communication platforms. Seventy-one percent of the participants agreed that video and telephone clinics can reduce chances of infection rather than face-to-face consultation during the pandemic. Fifty-five percent of patients felt that virtual clinics would save time and 60% thought it could reduce travelling costs. Fifty-one percent showed their willingness to use video or telephone clinics when implemented at onsite clinics.Conclusion: Our study shows the readiness of patients to accept teledentistry as an alternative method of oral care if appropriate training and education are provided. The results of this study have prompted an increase in patients' education and shown a need to train clinicians and patients to integrate this technology at SEGi University. This might facilitate unhindered dental consultation and care in all situations. |
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Article |
author |
Zain, Erum Rahman, Naomi Khan, Saad Ahmad Farook, Mohideen Salihu Khan, Erum Jubapu, Ayesha Shaziya Talreja, Nidhi Chan, Bing Hong Ng, Aaron Long Wai |
author_facet |
Zain, Erum Rahman, Naomi Khan, Saad Ahmad Farook, Mohideen Salihu Khan, Erum Jubapu, Ayesha Shaziya Talreja, Nidhi Chan, Bing Hong Ng, Aaron Long Wai |
author_sort |
Zain, Erum |
title |
Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
title_short |
Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
title_full |
Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
title_fullStr |
Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
title_full_unstemmed |
Patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the Malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
title_sort |
patients' readiness towards teledentistry in the malaysian urban population attending an undergraduate teaching university |
publisher |
Mary and Liebert, inc |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://eprints.um.edu.my/46046/ |
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1805881182573821952 |
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13.18916 |