title: Feasibility assessment for using telehealth technology to improve access to dental care for rural and underserved populations.
abstract: South Carolina Dental Association members were surveyed on telehealth knowledge, need, and interest in using it for access to care improvements.
  
  
  
  Dependent variables were Medicaid patient population size (less than or greater than 10%), career stage (early to middle and advanced), and National Health Service Corps participation (yes or no). Practice and provider characteristics were screener questions. Data were collected electronically and analyzed with SAS. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted.
  
  
  
  Most (69.3%) reported some or no teledentistry knowledge. Distribution of needing consults was: endodontics (40.2%), oral-maxillofacial surgery (37.9%), orthodontia (30.7%), periodontics (28.4%), and pediatrics (12.5%). Consultations for diagnosis (72.9%), emergencies (56.7%), and continuing education (53.3%) were most frequently identified telehealth uses. Medicaid patient population size was the only dependent measure with statistical significance. Compared to <10% Medicaid, >10% was more likely to (1) frequently need consults for orthodontics (25.5% vs 43.4%, P = .0043) and pediatrics (5.9% vs 29.0%, P < .0001); (2) use telehealth for children with special health care needs (44.1% vs 65.8%, P = .0017), complex health conditions (54.3% vs 78.1%, P = .0004), conditions exacerbated by unmet dental needs (44.6% vs 65.8%, P = .0022); and (3) use telehealth for extending practice to underserved populations (14.6% vs 33.8%, P = .0004).
  
  
  
  Despite need for telehealth knowledge improvement, sufficient interest exists. Further study will determine if demand for teledentistry is in balance with consultant availability. It has been suggested that access to care improvements require capacity expansions in private practices. States will need to engage dental communities determine if teledentistry is an effective solution.
authors.affiliation: Division of Population Oral Health, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: martinamy@musc.edu.
authors.forename: Amy B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Division of Population Oral Health, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Health Services Policy & Management, South Carolina Office of Rural Health, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Joni D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Grishma P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Bhavsar
authors.affiliation: Center for Telehealth & Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McElligott
authors.affiliation: Area Health Education Center & Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Garr
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Renata S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Leite
mesh_terms: D003729:Dental Care; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D012424:Rural Population; D013022:South Carolina; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine; D014481:United States; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
keywords: Dental provider; Reimbursement; Teledentistry