Abstract
Currently, people with decreasing independence, particularly those in institutions, have difficulties consulting a dentist despite a real need for dental care. To improve the quality of care of such patients, ASIP santé determined the care of residents in medico-social establishments as a priority in the development of telemedicine.Patients and methodsSix hundred patients from 12 care homes in Languedoc-Roussillon will benefit from two oral teleconsultations at 6-monthly intervals. A specifically trained nurse will record videos and photos of patients’ mouths with a SOPROCARE® camera, which uses fluorescent light to detect more easily tooth decay and gum inflammation. These pictures will be sent to Montpellier University Hospital for analysis. Dentists will make diagnosis and establish a treatment program. They will evaluate the dental emergency and propose the type of dentist or intervention needed.ResultsAt the end of this experiment an evaluation will be made. Legal aspects, real costs of such an intervention, the economic model of dental teleconsultation, acceptability of the system by different actors and patients’ dental status will be studied.DiscussionTelemedicine is rarely used in dentistry (only in Australia and United States). Changing opinions with regards to this new practice could be very hard. Dental teleconsultations should be carried out at each new admission to long-term care homes and should be integrated in a new oral health care organisation.