Uplifting Digital Technologies for Preventive Dentistry: Catering Needs of Dental Care in Rural or Remote Areas

Abstract

The regular preventive dental care is crucial for maintaining overall health and quality of life, as it helps in managing conditions like diabetes and heart disease. However, rural communities often face significant challenges in accessing adequate oral healthcare, thus missing out on these benefits. There are several factors that contribute to the oral health issues prevalent in rural areas such as access to dental care, oral health literacy, water fluoridation, and tobacco use. Digital technology offers innovative solutions to bridge this gap, improving access to care, enhancing efficiency, and empowering both patients and healthcare providers. This chapter comprehensively explores the various aspects to increase patient outcomes, decrease oral health inequalities, and improve access to dental treatment by utilizing tele-dentistry, mobile dental units, digital health technologies, and electronic health records.