SINGAPORE – Over the past three years, more than 350 pre-school children from lower-income families have taken part in a tele-dentistry programme, with findings showing a reduced risk of tooth decay.
It led to earlier dental intervention and improved follow-through on treatment recommendations compared with an earlier study. More parents also brought their children for regular dental care at primary care clinics.
Launched in January 2023, the initiative is part of the National University Hospital’s (NUH) Health and Development Support in Pre-school Partnerships (HEADS-UPP) programme. The collaboration with social service agency Care Corner Singapore and pre-school operator PCF Sparkletots is funded by the Ministry of Health.
The programme is targeted at children aged 18 months to six years. As at Jan 20, 355 children from 17 PCF Sparkletots pre-schools in western Singapore have benefited, NUH said on April 22.
Nurses and case management officers visited the children in school to take intraoral images – photographs of the inside of the mouth.
Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire on matters such as their children’s oral hygiene and dietary habits, frequency of dental visits and family history of caries, or tooth decay.
Each questionnaire was reviewed by a paediatric dentist from the dentistry faculty of NUS, who assessed the photographs for signs of dental plaque and caries.
A personalised report, including images of the child’s teeth, was generated for each child. It indicated areas of concern and the level of risk of decay, as well as recommended follow-up actions. The report was then reviewed with the parents, focusing on key recommendations and preventive practices.
