When the global pandemic first hit, the UBC Geriatric Dentistry Program (GDP) could no longer see patients in person. The team provides oral healthcare to seniors in Vancouver, so they pivoted to telephone and Zoom consultations, instructing patients and their families on using smartphones to take pictures of their mouth.

This new approach was so effective that it sparked the idea of creating a teledentistry platform. Over the past three years the ToothPortal app has been developed thanks to a generous $1 million gift from the Tai Hung Fai Charitable Foundation Limited. It is being tested in two long-term care facilities in Vancouver.

“Using teledentistry could truly transform the way we deliver healthcare to seniors, which is important considering our aging population,” says Dr. Chris Wyatt, Director of the GDP.

The app is easy to use and accessible to clinicians, patients and family members. It collects patient information, including photos, as part of an initial assessment, allowing the dental team to schedule appointments and prepare before a patient arrives. The pre-collection of information promotes time management and efficiency for both patient and practitioner. For example, a photo of a broken tooth could allow the dental team to book an extraction, eliminating the need for an initial in-person appointment to confirm that the tooth is broken.

While the app was designed with seniors in mind, teledentistry has the potential to have an impact well beyond this population.

“Our goal is to increase everyone’s access to oral healthcare, and teledentistry has incredible potential to do this while making the process of seeing a dental team more seamless for both patients and practitioners,” says Dr. Wyatt.