Current State of the Use of Telemedicine in Surgical Dentistry in Russia

Introduction. Currently, one of the leading priorities in ensuring public health is the provision of timely and qualified dental care. Teledentistry enables the expansion of consultation, monitoring, examination, and treatment adjustment capabilities, which in turn improves the accessibility and quality of dental services, particularly in situations where personal interaction between the physician and patient is limited.

The aim of this study is to analyze the dynamics of indicators characterizing the availability and demand of the population of the Russia for dental (including surgical) care during 2010–2022, and to substantiate the organizational prerequisites for the application of telemedicine technologies (teledentistry) to enhance the accessibility of preventive care and consultations.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted through the analysis of data from the Federal State Statistics Service concerning changes in the population’s need for dental care in Russia between 2010 and 2022.

Results and discussion. During 2010–2022, the number of dental organizations decreased, while the number of dentists and maxillofacial surgeries increased. The share of the population covered by preventive examinations declined, particularly after 2020, indicating insufficient accessibility and organization of dental care, especially in rural areas.

Conclusions. Russia’s healthcare system has established a personnel reserve of dentists that can be utilized for remote consultations. The implementation of teledentistry can address the issue of territorial accessibility for rural areas and time costs for urban residents, as well as increase preventive care coverage, thereby reducing the burden on surgical dental services.

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