Objectives. To develop and implement a “semi‐presential” technology platform to support urgent and priority dental care for the elderly in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic among the Chilean population. Methods. A dental mobile clinic was implemented along with the development of a technological platform designed to support emergency and priority dental procedures, including teleconsultation with specialists. Under strict biosafety protocols, dental care was provided in five Chilean regions between February and May 2021. Sociodemographic, medical, and dental data were recorded. Results. A total of 135 patients over sixty years old, with a mean age of 72 years, were treated, 48 males and 87 females were attended between February and May 2021 in five different regions of Chile. 53.3% required immediate or urgent treatment, and 24.4% were derived to specialists from whom 60.6% needed immediate or urgent treatment. 74.3% of teleconsultations were derived to an oral pathology specialist. Conclusion. It was shown that a “semi‐presential” technology platform implemented in a mobile dental clinic can help elderly people who are impeded to look for traditional dental assistance during a pandemic.

The topography and composition of dental implant surfaces directly impact mesenchymal cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, crucial aspects of achieving osseointegration. However, cell adhesion to biomaterials is considered a key step that drives cell proliferation and differentiation. The aim of this study was to characterize characterize the topography and composition of commercial titanium dental implants manufactured with different surface treatments (two sandblasted/acid-etched (SLA) (INNO Implants, Busan, Republic of Korea; BioHorizons^TM, Oceanside, CA, USA) and two calcium phosphate (CaP) treated (Biounite^®, Berazategui, Argentina; Zimmer Biomet, Inc., Warsaw, IN, USA)) and to investigate their influence on the process of cell adhesion in vitro. A smooth surface implant (Zimmer Biomet, Inc.) was used as a control. For that, high-resolution methodologies such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed. Protein adsorption and retromolar gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) adhesion to the implant surfaces were evaluated after 48 h. The adherent cells were examined by SEM and LSCM for morphologic and quantitative analyses. ANOVA and Tukey tests (α = 0.05) were employed to determine statistical significance. SEM revealed that INNO, BioHorizons^TM, and Zimmer implants have an irregular surface, whereas Biounite^® has a regular topography consisting of an ordered pattern. EDX confirmed a calcium and phosphate layer on the Biounite^® and Zimmer surfaces, and AFM exhibited different roughness parameters. Protein adsorption and cell adhesion were detected on all the implant surfaces studied. However, the Biounite^® implant with CaP and regular topography showed the highest protein adsorption capacity and density of adherent GMSCs. Although the Zimmer implant also had a CaP treatment, protein and cell adhesion levels were lower than those observed with Biounite^®. Our findings indicated that the surface regularity of the implants is a more determinant factor in the cell adhesion process than the CaP treatment. A regular, nanostructured, hydrophilic, and moderately rough topography generates a higher protein adsorption capacity and thus promotes more efficient cell adhesion.

Risk factors associated with tooth loss have been studied; however, the current status of the epidemiological profiles and the impact of the pandemic on the oral health of the elderly is still unknown. This study aims to determine the experience of caries and tooth loss among elderly Chilean citizens in five regions and to identify the risk factors associated with tooth loss. The sample includes 135 participants over 60 years old assessed during COVID-19 lockdown. Sociodemographic variables such as education and RSH (Social Registry of Households) were obtained through a teledentistry platform called TEGO. The history of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression and dental caries reported by DMFT index scores were incorporated. The statistical analysis included Adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) to assess risk factors associated with the lack of functional dentition. Multivariate hypothesis testing was used to compare the mean equality of DMFT and its components between regions (p-value < 0.05). Individuals with RSH ≤ 40% were at higher risk of having no functional dentition with OR 4.56 (95% CI: 1.71, 12.17). The only mean difference between regions was the filled tooth component. Tooth loss was associated with multidimensional lower income, where the elderly belonging to the 40% most vulnerable population had a higher prevalence of non-functional dentition. This study highlights the importance of implementing a National Oral Health Policy that focuses on oral health promotion and minimally invasive dentistry for the most vulnerable population.

Background: Access to oral health promotion for older adults is globally limited, especially in rural, low- and middle-income settings. Digital research often lacks theoretical foundation and focuses primarily on younger cohorts, yielding few randomized trials evaluating accessible tools for oral health education in older adults. Objective: This study aimed to develop a telehealth reinforcement strategy for oral health promotion to improve knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted in 4 municipalities (2 urban and 2 rural) in La Araucanía, Chile. Eligible participants were functionally independent adults aged ≥60 years with smartphone and internet access; those with cognitive impairment, complete edentulism, or inability to use WhatsApp were excluded. Participants were recruited from regional databases and assessed using the Geriatric Dental Specialties Tele-platform, a teledentistry tool for older adults. Participants were randomized (1:1) to face-to-face instruction (comparator) or the same instruction plus 2 weeks of social cognitive theory–informed telehealth reinforcement (4 validated videos via WhatsApp). Clinicians and statistical advisors were blinded. Primary outcomes (oral health knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy) were measured via telephone-administered questionnaires at baseline and 6 weeks post intervention. Secondary outcomes included acceptability and self-reported behaviors. Analyses included hypothesis testing, multiple correspondence analysis, and k-means clustering. Results: A total of 120 older adults were randomized (comparator: n=59; telehealth: n=61), with 103 analyzed (comparator: n=51; telehealth: n=52). Both groups showed substantial within-group improvements in oral health knowledge (comparator: Cohen d=0.93, 95% CI 0.52-1.34; P<.001; telehealth: Cohen d=1.07, 95% CI 0.66-1.48; P<.001) and self-efficacy (comparator: r=0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.74; P<.001; telehealth: r=0.62, 95% CI 0.43-0.77; P<.001). In per-protocol analysis, telehealth improved dental caries knowledge (P=.03) and attitudes (P=.004), with no between-group differences in other domains (P>.05). In intention-to-treat analysis, telehealth showed a significant between-group difference for attitudes only (adjusted mean difference=0.91, 95% CI 0.34-1.48; P=.002), with no differences for overall oral health knowledge (P=.11) or self-efficacy (P=.59). Exploratory analyses indicated only the rural telehealth subgroup showed significant gains in attitudes (P=.003) and flossing (P<.001). Clustering suggested greater improvements among participants with higher baseline needs, predominantly rural, with fewer teeth. Telehealth demonstrated acceptability across multiple indicators (>80% for most measures) with no clinical adverse events; minor video-access issues occurred. Conclusions: Telehealth reinforcement provided significant advantages in oral health attitudes compared with face-to-face instruction. The intervention was acceptable and showed benefits among older adults with higher preventive needs, commonly seen in rural settings. By integrating theory-informed strategies into a familiar digital platform, this study adds evidence from rural and urban contexts, extending prior work on mobile oral health. It offers insights to address service gaps in underserved areas and highlights potential for feasible, context-aligned implementation. Future research should evaluate long-term effects, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05917548; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05917548

This study aims to assess a new mobile application (app)’s efficacy in raising oral cancer awareness among older adults through educational videos and serious games. The app, named TEGO® (Tele-platform of Geriatric and Dental Specialties), with a video about oral cancer prevention, oral-self-examination, and serious gaming elements, like trivia and word search puzzles to reinforce the acquired knowledge was developed. Fifty-six patients, aged 60 to 80 years, were randomly selected from the Dental Clinic of the University of Chile and invited to use the app on their personal smartphones. Knowledge and attitudes were evaluated before two and four weeks after use. Oral self-examination practices were measured with a checkup guideline. The participation rate was 41.1%, mostly male (52.2%). Before using the app, 30.4% of the participants reported awareness of oral cancer, and none had performed oral self-examinations. Following two weeks after use, there was notable engagement, with 100% of participants utilizing it and responding that they had heard about oral cancer, and 56.5% having practiced an oral self-examination. This last outcome increased to 82.6% in the fourth week. The use of mHealth technologies has the potential as an effective educational tool for disseminating knowledge about oral cancer among older adults.

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is a debilitating complication of cancer therapy, particularly in head and neck cancer patients, with significant adverse effects on quality of life (QoL). Although numerous interventions have been investigated, their impact on QoL remains inconsistently reported and poorly synthesized. Methods: An umbrella review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched from inception to March 2024. Reviews were eligible if they evaluated any therapeutic intervention for OM and reported QoL‐related outcomes using validated tools. Methodological quality was appraised using AMSTAR 2, and findings were narratively synthesized and thematically categorized. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251044088). Results: Eight systematic reviews (257 primary studies) met the inclusion criteria. Photobiomodulation, honey, black mulberry, and botanical agents such as SAMITAL showed consistent improvement in QoL domains, including pain relief, oral function, and emotional well‐being. Gabapentin demonstrated potential in reducing opioid use and early mucositis‐related pain, though findings were mixed across trials. QoL was most commonly assessed using the EORTC QLQ‐C30, FACT‐HN, and UW‐QOL. Overall, heterogeneity in intervention protocols and QoL instruments limited comparability. Conclusions: This review highlights the most promising interventions for improving QoL in patients with OM. Standardizing QoL measurement and prioritizing patient‐reported outcomes in future trials is essential to inform evidence‐based supportive oncology care.