A smartphone app, tested with 42 ORIGINS families as part of the Dental Screening sub-project, has passed its feasibility study and received state-wide attention.
Created as a response to Covid-19 restrictions on healthcare delivery, the CSIRO-designed app enables remote screening of children’s teeth by dental professionals and has ongoing potential for use in remote and lower socioeconomic areas.
It also has the potential to reduce waiting times for dental clinics and would suit families wanting less-invasive dental screening for their children.
The collaborative study was led by researchers from the University of Western Australia, Dr Somayyeh Azimi, Dr Jilen Patel and Dr Mohamed Estai, in conjunction with The Kids Research Institute Australia, The ORIGINS Project and Joondalup Health Campus.
Dr Azimi, from UWA’s School of Human Sciences, said parents were able to take good-quality photos of their children’s mouths, which were uploaded to the app and transferred to dental professionals via a secure server.
“This method enabled high-accuracy screening of healthy children without tooth decay and those with evidence of cavities,” she said.
“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.”
Dr Azimi said the next phase of the research would look at incorporating artificial intelligence technology to further accelerate examination and referral.
The study was published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. It was funded by the WA Department of Health through a Covid-19 FHRI Focus Grant.
Channel 7 Regional News spoke with Dr Azimi about the study and its impact on families, in particular those in remote locations, as well as other benefits the dental screening app can potentially provide.
The story aired on the Channel 7 Regional News on 22 February 2023.