JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Smartphone-based imaging has shown promise in teledentistry, yet patient comfort during its use compared with intraoral cameras remains underexplored. This study compared self-perceived comfort during oral evaluations using smartphones and intraoral cameras in a teledentistry setting. A convenience sample of 192 participants aged six years and older completed a survey and underwent two procedures: trained researchers captured three photographs of the anterior teeth with a Samsung® smartphone, and the same teeth were examined with a MouthWatch® intraoral camera. Comfort was rated before and after each procedure using a pictorial 7-point Likert scale, and data were analyzed with non-parametric tests. Comfort decreased following intraoral camera examination (p=0.001), while no significant change was observed after smartphone imaging (p=0.523). The difference in comfort change between methods was marginal (p=0.052). Youth (ages 6–19) (p=0.017) and participants without tooth wear (p=0.016) reported greater reductions in comfort after smartphone imaging. Overall, findings position smartphone-based imaging as a patient-friendly, comfort-supportive approach to teledentistry, with targeted education and aligned institutional and insurance policies enabling scalable, sustainable integration that enhances patient experience.