116 - Utilizing Intraoral Cameras in Public Health Dentistry: A Pilot Project

Purpose: This pilot project aims at improving dental care access for pediatric patients at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh through the innovative use of intraoral cameras. 

Methods: The project targets underserved children aged 0–12, addressing barriers caused by limited on-site dental professionals and extended wait times. Training took place with public health hygienists and medical staff to use the cameras for caries detection at two clinics. Charts were reviewed from two sites comparing (1) treatment plans public health hygienists developed in concert with radiographs or, radiographs and intraoral images; (2) Treatment plans simultaneously made by two dentists using these same inputs. (3) The final outcome of treatment which was based on a dentist seeing the patient live.  The first two groups were compared to group 3 to see if the aid of intraoral camera photos helped streamline diagnosis and treatment planning for patients. 

Results: Results are pending. 

Conclusions: Success in streamlining care would indicate the project is scalable to other locations, leverages existing resources for cost-efficiency, and aligns with broader efforts to integrate oral health into primary medical care. Further, utilizing staff at clinics where dentists are limited can maximize point of care services to patients who most need them. 

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Research supported by the Beckwith Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center