Indonesia’s teledentistry drive improves oral hygiene

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 24. October 2025

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JAKARTA, Indonesia: A large-scale teledentistry initiative in Indonesia has helped people brush more frequently and improved oral health awareness, according to new research. However, the study warns that digital consultations alone may not be enough to boost individuals’ confidence in managing their own oral health or to sustain long-term oral health improvements.

Conceived and undertaken by an international research team, the study evaluated Unilever’s Pepsodent “talk to a dentist” programme, which allows Indonesians to connect with qualified dentists through WhatsApp by scanning a QR code on toothpaste packaging. The initiative forms part of efforts to expand dental access across Indonesia’s 17,000 islands, where geography and costs continue to limit in-person care.

The researchers compared 300 users of the service with a demographically matched control group. The findings showed that users brushed an average of 1.06 times more per week and for slightly longer than before. They also reported fewer difficulties with chewing and speech, and almost two-thirds said that they intended to visit the dentist more frequently.

Dentists participating in the qualitative arm of the study described the platform as a useful bridge between self-care and professional treatment and noted that it helped reduce dental anxiety and made consultations more flexible. However, there were also technical and operational challenges, including long onboarding times, limited image quality for diagnosis, prank users, and uneven digital literacy among both patients and practitioners.

Despite the behavioural gains reported, users self-rated oral health status and perceived control over their oral health declined slightly. The researchers suggest that these findings may reflect increased awareness of unresolved dental issues. The authors concluded that while teledentistry can successfully promote preventive habits, its lasting impact depends on integration with in-person care and continued professional support.

The study, titled “Leveraging digital innovations for universal oral health coverage: Evaluation of a teledentistry programme among Indonesian adults”, was published online on 3 October 2025 in BMC Oral Health.