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Virtual clinics in oral surgery: an equitable service for all?

British Dental Journal volume 237, pages 653–656 (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction Teledentistry has become more prevalent in the provision of oral healthcare since the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual consultation clinics were introduced at Birmingham Dental Hospital as an adjunct to face-to-face (F2F) consultation clinics. This service evaluation compares virtual and F2F consultation clinics in oral surgery, with particular focus on ‘did not attend' (DNA) rates.

Methodology Data were collected retrospectively from all clinics conducted within the oral surgery service in April 2021. Information collected included attendance, patient demographics and complications impeding the consultation, including technical difficulties. Patients' postcodes were used to generate deprivation deciles. All data were handled sensitively in line with the Caldicott principles.

Results Binomial regression analysis showed that DNA rates were more likely to occur in virtual consultation clinics compared to F2F clinics (p <0.00). DNAs were less likely to occur at review appointments (p <0.00). Lower deprivation decile ratings were associated with higher rates of DNAs, independent of clinic type (eg review or new patient) or method of consultation (virtual versus F2F) (p <0.01).

Conclusion While virtual clinics are advantageous for some patient demographics and have shown promising results in other studies, it is important that the delivery of these virtual services does not continue to marginalise vulnerable patient groups and enhance pre-existing oral health inequalities.

Key points

  • A reminder to readers to implement local ‘did not attend' policy, including escalation of safeguarding concerns for patients who fail to attend appointments.

  • Explores alternative methods of healthcare delivery to avoid exclusion of marginalised patient groups.

  • Examines links between deprivation and ‘did not attend' rates in a local oral surgery service.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Sarah Martin and Sally Kerr for their support in data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Specialist Oral Surgeon, School of Dental Science, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

    Katy Martin

  2. Academic Clinical Lecturer, School of Dentistry, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Annika Kroeger

  3. Consultant Oral Surgeon, Department of Oral Surgery, Birmingham Dental Hospital, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, UK

    Harriet Anstey

Authors
  1. Katy Martin
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  2. Annika Kroeger
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  3. Harriet Anstey
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Contributions

Katy Martin, Annika Kroeger and Harriet Anstey were all involved in the conception, data collection, data analysis, writing and reviewing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Katy Martin.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval and consent was not applicable as this is work is classified as a clinical audit using pseudonymised data and retrospective data collection, and not a research study.

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Martin, K., Kroeger, A. & Anstey, H. Virtual clinics in oral surgery: an equitable service for all?. Br Dent J 237, 653–656 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7965-8

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