GIESSEN, Germany — A new study suggests that intra-oral scans (IOSs) could help expand access to dental care for children, allowing paediatricians to play a greater role in oral health assessments. Researchers in Germany found that, with training, paediatricians can use IOSs to identify dental issues and recommend treatment reliably, offering opportunities for broader collaboration between medical and dental professionals.
The study involved 70 children aged 4 to 17, covering both primary and permanent teeth. Each child received a routine dental check-up that included a standard visual examination, followed by an IOS of the mouth. The scans were later reviewed independently by a dentist and a paediatrician, who evaluated the same diagnostic criteria: overall dental health, presence of caries, restorations, molar incisor hypomineralisation, urgency of intervention, and treatment recommendations.
Results showed strong agreement between the IOS-based assessments and traditional visual examinations for several key areas. Overall dental status, detection of cavities, and identification of restorations were highly consistent across both approaches. However, differences emerged in more detailed evaluations. The type of restoration, for example, was more accurately identified by the dentist, and the paediatrician missed certain findings.
Despite these limitations, both professionals showed high levels of agreement when assessing whether urgent treatment was needed. Recommendations for care were also consistent, with substantial to near-perfect alignment, though slightly less accurate for the paediatrician.
The findings suggest that IOS-based teledentistry could be a valuable tool in settings where dentists are not readily available. Paediatricians could use scans to perform initial screenings, assess treatment urgency, and refer cases to dentists only when needed. This model may be particularly useful in rural communities, hospitals, and other healthcare environments where access to dental specialists is limited.
While dentists remain essential for detailed diagnoses—particularly when evaluating restoration types—the study highlights the potential of IOS technology to strengthen interdisciplinary care. By equipping paediatricians with the ability to conduct reliable oral health assessments, healthcare systems could reach more children, reduce delays in treatment, and improve overall outcomes.
The researchers concluded that further training for paediatricians would be necessary to optimise accuracy. Still, the study demonstrates that IOS-based teledentistry offers a practical, effective way to broaden paediatric dental care beyond the traditional clinic.