Physician Confidence in Dental Trauma Treatment and the Introduction of a Dental Trauma Decision-Making Pathway for the Pediatric Emergency Department

Mobile Health Assessment of Traumatic Dental Injuries Using Smartphone-Acquired Photographs: A Multicenter Diagnostic Accuracy Study

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) has an emerging potential for remote assessment of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) and support of emergency care. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of TDI detection from smartphone-acquired photographs. Methods: The upper and lower anterior teeth of 153 individuals aged ≥ 6 years were photographed using a smartphone camera app. The photos of 148 eligible participants were reviewed independently by a dental specialist, two general dentists, and two dental therapists, using predetermined TDI classification and criteria. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and inter-rater reliability were estimated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the photographic method relative to the reference standard established by the dental specialist. Results: Of the 1,870 teeth screened, one-third showed TDI; and one-seventh of the participants had primary or mixed dentitions. Compared between the specialist's reference standard and four dental professionals' reviews, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for TDI versus non-TDI were 59-95% and 47-93%, respectively, with better performance for urgent types of TDI (78-89% and 99-100%, separately). The diagnostic consistency was also better for the primary/mixed dentitions than the permanent dentition. Conclusion: This study suggested a valid mHealth practice for remote assessment of TDI. A better diagnostic performance in the detection of urgent types of TDI and examination of the primary/mixed dentition was also reported. Future directions include professional development activities involving dental photography and photographic assessment, incorporation of a machine learning technology to aid photographic reviews, and randomized controlled trials in multiple clinical settings.

Pediatric Odontogenic Infections

Odontogenic infections are a broad group of head and neck conditions that arise from the teeth and surrounding periodontium. These largely preventable infections disproportionately affect members of ethnic and racial minorities and low-income/uninsured groups, and result in significant costs to our health care system. Left untreated, odontogenic infections can spread to deep spaces of the head and neck and can result in life-threatening complications. The mainstay of treatment includes timely treatment of the affected teeth. These infections are a global public health concern that could be diminished with improved access to routine dental care.

Comparison of Different Clinical Decision Support Tools in Aiding Dental and Medical Professionals in Managing Primary Dentition Traumatic Injuries

BACKGROUND

Many patients are taken to the emergency room for dental trauma treatment, but studies reveal that medical professionals do not feel confident in diagnosing and treating children with traumatic dental injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine if a clinical decision support tool (CDST) would improve dental trauma knowledge of primary teeth in medical students and pediatric dentists. Another purpose was assessing effectiveness of print and mobile app CDSTs.

METHODS

Medical students (n = 100) and pediatric dentists (n = 49) were given a pretest to assess baseline dental trauma knowledge. All subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups for the posttest: no CDST, print CDST, and mobile app CDST. Test scores and total time spent on each test were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with medical students, pediatric dentists scored significantly higher in both pretest (8.57 ± 0.96 vs 4.20 ± 1.58; P < 0.001) and posttest (8.37 ± 1.09 vs 4.96 ± 1.99; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in time spent to complete the 2 tests between both groups. Medical students and pediatric dentists who utilized the mobile app CDST had scored highest (P = 0.028) but took the longest time (P < 0.001) on the posttest.

CONCLUSIONS

Both print and mobile app CDSTs improved diagnosing and managing traumatic dental injuries in primary dentition significantly compared with those without aid. Medical students with CDSTs showed significant improvement in managing primary dental trauma; therefore, it is recommended for better, more accurate diagnosis and treatment in patients.