Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study
Abstract Background Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms? The goal of this research was to examine orthodontists’ experiences implementing remote monitoring platforms before, during, and after the initial COVID-19 lockdown. Methods In this descriptive cr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Oral Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04245-2 |
| _version_ | 1797199104210632704 |
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| author | Sophie Logan Christine A. Riedy Kadriye Hargett Negin Katebi |
| author_facet | Sophie Logan Christine A. Riedy Kadriye Hargett Negin Katebi |
| author_sort | Sophie Logan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms? The goal of this research was to examine orthodontists’ experiences implementing remote monitoring platforms before, during, and after the initial COVID-19 lockdown. Methods In this descriptive cross-sectional survey study, an electronic, anonymous questionnaire consisting of a series of 31 short-answer and multiple-choice questions was administered to an international sampling of practicing orthodontists. The target population in the study included currently practicing orthodontists who were graduates of an accredited orthodontic residency program. Participants were recruited in 2021 through collaboration with the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) Partners in Research Program and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Orthodontic Alumni Association. Descriptive analysis was conducted, reporting frequency (N and %) distributions for each question. The questionnaire aimed to describe whether orthodontists incorporated remote monitoring platforms into their practices, their experiences doing so, and if the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their use of these resources. Results Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms was negligible prior to the pandemic; however, a quarter of surveyed orthodontists began using a remote monitoring platform during COVID-19 and nearly all respondents plan to continue using remote monitoring for the foreseeable future. Approximately half of orthodontists believe most patients’ treatment progress can be monitored to the standard of care between in-person orthodontic appointments using remote monitoring platforms. Half of the orthodontists who do not currently use a remote monitoring platform in their practice are interested in learning more about how to implement one. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in the interest and adoption of remote monitoring platforms in orthodontic practices. Most orthodontists had not incorporated remote monitoring platforms into their practices prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this study revealed that a subset of orthodontists utilized the pandemic as motivation to incorporate remote monitoring into their practices and an additional group of orthodontists were interested in incorporating one in the future. Remote monitoring platforms garnered interest and importance with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and may only have an increasing role in the field in years to come. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:10:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1511da9382c1488dadb0b23351e9d395 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6831 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:10:27Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Oral Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1511da9382c1488dadb0b23351e9d3952024-04-21T11:32:15ZengBMCBMC Oral Health1472-68312024-04-012411910.1186/s12903-024-04245-2Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey studySophie Logan0Christine A. Riedy1Kadriye Hargett2Negin Katebi3Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental MedicineDepartment of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental MedicineHarvard School of Dental MedicineDepartment of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental MedicineAbstract Background Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms? The goal of this research was to examine orthodontists’ experiences implementing remote monitoring platforms before, during, and after the initial COVID-19 lockdown. Methods In this descriptive cross-sectional survey study, an electronic, anonymous questionnaire consisting of a series of 31 short-answer and multiple-choice questions was administered to an international sampling of practicing orthodontists. The target population in the study included currently practicing orthodontists who were graduates of an accredited orthodontic residency program. Participants were recruited in 2021 through collaboration with the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) Partners in Research Program and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Orthodontic Alumni Association. Descriptive analysis was conducted, reporting frequency (N and %) distributions for each question. The questionnaire aimed to describe whether orthodontists incorporated remote monitoring platforms into their practices, their experiences doing so, and if the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their use of these resources. Results Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms was negligible prior to the pandemic; however, a quarter of surveyed orthodontists began using a remote monitoring platform during COVID-19 and nearly all respondents plan to continue using remote monitoring for the foreseeable future. Approximately half of orthodontists believe most patients’ treatment progress can be monitored to the standard of care between in-person orthodontic appointments using remote monitoring platforms. Half of the orthodontists who do not currently use a remote monitoring platform in their practice are interested in learning more about how to implement one. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in the interest and adoption of remote monitoring platforms in orthodontic practices. Most orthodontists had not incorporated remote monitoring platforms into their practices prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this study revealed that a subset of orthodontists utilized the pandemic as motivation to incorporate remote monitoring into their practices and an additional group of orthodontists were interested in incorporating one in the future. Remote monitoring platforms garnered interest and importance with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and may only have an increasing role in the field in years to come.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04245-2OrthodonticsCOVID 19TelehealthTelecare |
| spellingShingle | Sophie Logan Christine A. Riedy Kadriye Hargett Negin Katebi Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study BMC Oral Health Orthodontics COVID 19 Telehealth Telecare |
| title | Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study |
| title_full | Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study |
| title_fullStr | Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study |
| title_short | Orthodontists’ use of remote monitoring platforms pre-, amid, and post-COVID-19: a survey study |
| title_sort | orthodontists use of remote monitoring platforms pre amid and post covid 19 a survey study |
| topic | Orthodontics COVID 19 Telehealth Telecare |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04245-2 |
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