Background: There is often anxiety among pregnant women about dental imaging during pregnancy. This may hinder some women from seeking dental treatment during pregnancy and consequently, may negatively affect the oral health of the mother and fetus. This study was conducted to assess women’s awareness regarding the use of dental imaging during pregnancy. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the electronic distribution of structured questionnaires was done via social media. The self-administered questionnaires contained questions related to women’s knowledge regarding the radiation protection measures during dental imaging, the safest period for dental imaging, the type of radiographs that can be acquired during pregnancy, and the possibility of radiation-induced malignancy and fetal malformation as a result of dental imaging. Results: In total, 410 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed. More than half of the participants were 30–49 years of age. The majority of the participants (91%) demonstrated poor knowledge concerning dental imaging. Only 4% reported that pregnant women can have dental imaging during any trimester. The majority believed that panoramic images and cone-beam computed tomography should not be acquired during pregnancy. The majority also believed there is a high risk of congenital malformation due to dental imaging and were unsure about the oncogenic risks. Conclusions: Our study suggests that there is insufficient knowledge about dental imaging safety during pregnancy. This misconception may have a direct impact on the attitude toward seeking dental care. Therefore, community awareness initiatives aimed at informing our society about radiation exposure, safety, and required protection measures are critical.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess dental students’ perceptions and overall experiences regarding e-learning at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2020 through March 2021. A pre-structured, self-administered questionnaire was emailed to undergraduate dental students (second year through sixth year and dental interns). The final sample included 296 undergraduate dental students and interns. Univariate analysis was done to report the sample characteristics. Chi-square and Fisher exact with Monte Carlo were conducted to evaluate the preference of students regarding e-learning across characteristics of the study sample. Results: The majority of students preferred to integrate e-learning into traditional classroom lectures, although 51.7% did not favor it for clinical subjects. More than half of the sample believed that e-learning allowed excellent interactivity with the instructors. A higher percentage of second-year students preferred traditional learning (71%) than students in other years who preferred a combination of both traditional and online learning (P-value < 0.001). The mode of learning is not associated with marital status, though 36.4% of married students prefer e-learning (P-value = 0.4). Most dental students considered e-learning a positive experience. Conclusion: There were significant differences in the mode of learning preference between the preclinical and clinical years. Continuous monitoring of learners’ needs, challenges, and outcomes is crucial to effectively evaluate e-learning in dental education.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study is to identify the main predictors and barriers that influence user intention to adopt teledentistry services among the Saudi population. Methods: A total of 426 respondents completed a questionnaire. Our study used the technology acceptance model to predict how users will adopt teledentistry. An analysis of the factors that influence patient users’ intention to utilize teledentistry was conducted using partial least square structural equation modeling. Results: Among the factors that influenced the intention to use teledentistry services, social influence positively affected the intention (β = 0.18, t = 2.19, p-value = 0.03), whereas perceived risk negatively affected it (β = −0.21, t = 2.69, p-value =0.01). Conclusion: The perception of risk was a major barrier to the adoption of teledentistry services, while social influence was a significant positive predictor. Using the findings of the study, policymakers and health service providers can gain a better understanding of the factors influencing the implementation of teledentistry.

Background It is crucial to recognize patients’ behavioral responses to improve oral healthcare delivery. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) is typically used to measure service user preferences. The purpose of this study was to examine the preferences of the Saudi population regarding primary dental care using a DCE. Materials and methods An online DCE survey was distributed among adults aged 18 years and older living in Saudi Arabia. An orthogonal design was used to reduce the number of combinations while maintaining the main effects that reflect patient preferences. Respondents were presented with a reduced set of 10 cards (tasks), and each of the cards had two concepts (offers). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sample characteristics. The coefficients were calculated based on discrete choice results on the Qualtrics platform. Results A total of 532 participants completed the survey. Among patients seeking a preventive dental visit, the ability to get an appointment was rated the most important influence on their decision with a relative importance of 41%, followed by the dental care provider (29%) and the dental clinic in relation to the sector and the fees (20%). The least important attribute was the waiting time in minutes, with a relative importance of 10%. Conclusion The study findings revealed that patients make trade-offs when deciding to receive primary dental care. Policymakers can use the study’s findings to inform their decisions concerning dental clinic services. The study results suggest that it is possible to improve access to primary dental care by improving the accessibility of appointments.