As childhood dental decay persists in the UK, with 30% of five-year-olds affected, barriers to dental care access have only worsened amid a shortage of NHS dental professionals. Addressing these challenges, the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) piloted TeleBrush UP—a cutting-edge programme that uses intraoral cameras to bring dental screenings into primary schools as part of a supervised toothbrushing initiative.
A Digital Solution for a Pressing Problem
TeleBrush UP grew out of UPDA’s Brush UP programme, a supervised toothbrushing initiative aimed at boosting children’s oral health. By integrating intraoral cameras, TeleBrush UP aims to make dental screenings not only accessible but also a routine part of children’s school life. The pilot phase of this programme showed promising results in two schools, leading to a broader rollout. This study supported by The Borrow Foundation, explores the programme’s feasibility, gathering feedback from dental staff, students, teachers, and parents while assessing the costs and benefits of this innovative model.
Study Objectives and Approach
The primary goal of this process evaluation is to understand how practical and acceptable intraoral cameras are within the school setting for caries detection. Researchers will also examine challenges schools face in adapting to the technology and assess the programme’s cost-effectiveness to support potential scaling.
Project Phases: From Implementation to Impact
The study is divided into three main phases:
- Reach and Fidelity: Evaluates how well TeleBrush UP engages students and meets programme goals.
- User Experience and Educational Impact: Gathers input from children’s parents, school staff, and UPDA participants to gauge satisfaction and educational benefits.
- Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Assesses financial sustainability, weighing the programme’s costs against the health outcomes it delivers.
Why This Matters
TeleBrush UP’s evaluation will address a critical gap in understanding the feasibility and benefits of digital dental technology in schools. Results could shape how intraoral cameras and other teledentistry tools are integrated into similar programmes, not only improving child oral health outcomes but also potentially reducing long-term dental care costs. Furthermore, insights into the educational benefits for UPDA students and staff may influence dental curriculum development, better preparing future dental professionals to work in digital and community-focused environments.
Through a structured evaluation, the TeleBrush UP programme seeks to set a precedent for using digital technology to address healthcare access barriers in schools, creating a sustainable model for improved oral health and reduced health inequalities in the South East of England and beyond.
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