Objectives: Unaided visual inspection is a primary dental screening technique. Given the uneven distribution of dental services and prolonged waiting periods, an alternative screening approach is required to increase access to dental care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of tele-screening for detecting dental caries using mobile intra-oral photos taken by participants. Methods: Dental care seekers attending Umm Al-Qura University Teaching Dental Hospital in 2022 were invited to participate in this study. The participants were initially examined by dental interns at the hospital under the supervision of faculty dentists (reference standard) before intra-oral photos were acquired by a trained sixth-year dental student using a Samsung S10 camera. Following an introduction to the photography guide, the same participants then took intra-oral photos of their teeth at home using their mobile devices, which were all uploaded to WhatsApp for later review. Two trained dental reviewers (sixth-year dental students) independently reviewed the intra-oral photos. Sensitivity, specificity, and Kappa scores were estimated to assess the performance of the tele-screening approach relative to the reference unaided dental examination. Results: Twenty-three participants, with a mean age of 30±12 years, were enrolled. The mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) was 13.43±5.48. Patient-delivered tele-screening demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, and inter-rater reliability kappa of 94%, 90%, and 0.81, respectively, when compared to unaided dental examination. Dentist-delivered tele-screening approach demonstrated a sensitivity of 88-89%, specificity of 88-91%, and kappa score of 0.75-0.79 relative to unaided dental examination. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the tele-screening approach based on reviewing intra-oral photos taken by participants can be a valid and reliable alternative to unaided dental examination. This is important for ensuring sustainable access to dental care.

Oral health is an essential part of healthy aging and very little data exists around the disease burden for older adults in a long-term care setting. The aim of this scoping review was to estimate the disease burden of dental caries, periodontal disease, and tooth loss among older adults in Long-Term Care (LTC). This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A detailed strategy was used to conduct a comprehensive search of electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source (DOSS). The Rayyan AI platform was used to screen abstracts for assessment by one of five co-investigators. Results indicate that only one in three might have a functional dentition upon entry into LTC, and among those who are dentate, most might expect to develop at least one new coronal and one new root caries lesion each year. There is a need to better document the disease experiences of this group to tailor approaches to care that might reduce the avoidable suffering as a result of dental caries and periodontal disease.

Objectives: Teledentistry is a combination of communication technology and dentistry. Teledentistry is an alternative and useful way to remotely provide advisory, preventive, and emergency services in places with poor access to dental care. Few studies in Saudi have investigated the implementation of teledentistry at schools or assessed the perceptions of school personnel. This research aimed to evaluate teachers' perceptions about the use of teledentistry to examine schoolchildren in Makkah city.

Background/Objectives: Digital triage systems are increasingly used in dentistry to support patient access and improve service efficiency, particularly in academic and public healthcare settings. However, limited evidence exists on how these systems function in practice from the perspectives of both patients and providers. This study aimed to explore patients’ and staff members’ experiences, perceptions, and expectations of a digital dental triage system at a teaching dental hospital. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted at the Dental Teaching Hospital of Umm Al-Qura University (DTH-UQU), Saudi Arabia. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 25 participants, including dental professionals, administrative staff, and patients who had recently used the digital triage system. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach. Results: Analysis identified six interconnected themes. Patients generally found the system easy to use and consistent with their digital habits, yet this usability did not translate into satisfaction due to limited communication, post-registration silence, and unclear care pathways. Staff emphasized clinical accuracy, educational requirements, and capacity constraints as key drivers of triage decisions that were often invisible to patients. Communication breakdowns, misclassification, duplicate registrations, and unmet expectations emerged as central challenges, contributing to workflow inefficiencies. Participants suggested that improvements focused on enhanced communication, guided data entry, system integration, and expanded teledentistry functionality. Conclusions: The effectiveness of digital dental triage systems depends not only on usability but also on transparent communication, alignment with institutional capacity, and integration within broader care pathways.