Teledentistry in Pediatric Dental Care During Periods of Restricted Access: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Background

For maintaining specialized dental treatment all year and in remote areas, teledentistry might offer a valuable approach. Aim: To prospectively pilot the feasibility and practicality of pediatric teledentistry during a period of restricted access during the Christmas break 2025/2026.

Methods

The organizational and clinical parameters of emergency patients during the Christmas break 2025/2026 were registered for a prospective analysis. Descriptive statistics focused on the feasibility of teledentistry with categorizing treatment as only counseling without further dental contact, postponing to later regular clinic times, immediate acute pain management in-person.

Results

Of the twenty-four registered patient contacts (eight female, 33%; age 1-17 years, mean 8.0 ± 3.5), 25% presented with only primary dentition and 62% of the problems addressed primary teeth. Seventy-one percent reported pain as chief complaint, leading to the diagnosis of abscess (21%), normal exfoliation or a remaining root and trauma (17% each), and simple carious defects or teeth without relevant dental pathology (13% each). These diagnoses required a timely emergency treatment in presence (46%), while the other patients could be treated with primary teledentistry consultations only (29%), while 13% received antibiotics initially and later regular treatment and in 13% the in-person diagnostics revealed no relevant dental pathology (13%). The clinical emergency treatment consisted of extractions (17%), fillings (13%) or endodontic treatment (13%). Further treatment need remained for extractions (29%) or treatment under sedation/general anesthesia (8%).

Conclusions

Teledentistry was feasible for initial screening or triage during the holiday season. One third of the cases could be reduced to teledentistry as consultation only, leaving a relevant need for emergency services and also follow-up clinical visit in presence at regular practice times.