Chia-Yung Lin1, Kang-Lin Peng2, Ji Chen2, Jui-Yuan Tsai3, Yu-Chee Tseng2, Jhih-Ren Yang4, Min-Huey Chen5. 1. Dentistry Department, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. 2. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan, ROC. 3. Information Management Office, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC. 4. Dentistry Department, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC. 5. Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: minhueychen@ntu.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Traditional dental care, which includes long-term oral hygiene maintenance and scheduled dental appointments, requires effective communication between dentists and patients. In this study, a new system was designed to provide a platform for direct communication between dentists and patients. METHODS: A new mobile app, Dental Calendar, combined with cloud services specific for dental care was created by a team constituted by dentists, computer scientists, and service scientists. This new system would remind patients about every scheduled appointment, and help them take pictures of their own oral cavity parts that require dental treatment and send them to dentists along with a symptom description. Dentists, by contrast, could confirm or change appointments easily and provide professional advice to their patients immediately. In this study, 26 dentists and 32 patients were evaluated by a questionnaire containing eight dental-service items before and after using this system. Paired sample t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After using the Dental Calendar combined with cloud services, dentists were able to improve appointment arrangements significantly, taking care of the patients with sudden worse prosthesis (p < 0.05). Patients also achieved significant improvement in appointment reminder systems, rearrangement of appointments in case of sudden worse prosthesis, and establishment of a direct relationship with dentists (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our new mobile app, Dental Calendar, in combination with cloud services, provides efficient service to both dentists and patients, and helps establish a better relationship between them. It also helps dentists to arrange appointments for patients with sudden worsening of prosthesis function.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Traditional dental care, which includes long-term oral hygiene maintenance and scheduled dental appointments, requires effective communication between dentists and patients. In this study, a new system was designed to provide a platform for direct communication between dentists and patients. METHODS: A new mobile app, Dental Calendar, combined with cloud services specific for dental care was created by a team constituted by dentists, computer scientists, and service scientists. This new system would remind patients about every scheduled appointment, and help them take pictures of their own oral cavity parts that require dental treatment and send them to dentists along with a symptom description. Dentists, by contrast, could confirm or change appointments easily and provide professional advice to their patients immediately. In this study, 26 dentists and 32 patients were evaluated by a questionnaire containing eight dental-service items before and after using this system. Paired sample t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After using the Dental Calendar combined with cloud services, dentists were able to improve appointment arrangements significantly, taking care of the patients with sudden worse prosthesis (p < 0.05). Patients also achieved significant improvement in appointment reminder systems, rearrangement of appointments in case of sudden worse prosthesis, and establishment of a direct relationship with dentists (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our new mobile app, Dental Calendar, in combination with cloud services, provides efficient service to both dentists and patients, and helps establish a better relationship between them. It also helps dentists to arrange appointments for patients with sudden worsening of prosthesis function.
Authors: Katherine M Atkinson; Robin Ducharme; Jacqueline Westeinde; Sarah E Wilson; Shelley L Deeks; Dante Pascali; Kumanan Wilson Journal: Hum Vaccin Immunother Date: 2015 Impact factor: 3.452