THE ROLE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH IN INDIA: CURRENT STATE, IMPLEMENTATION, AND FUTURE POTENTIAL

Abstract

India’s dental public health system faces formidable challenges rooted in geographic disparity, workforce maldistribution, and infrastructural deficits that disproportionately affect rural and marginalized populations. With nearly two-thirds of the population residing in rural areas and dental specialists concentrated overwhelmingly in urban centers, millions of Indians lack access to timely, affordable oral healthcare. Digital technologies—encompassing teledentistry platforms, mobile health applications, artificial intelligence-driven diagnostics, and electronic health records—have emerged as transformative tools capable of bridging these access gaps and fundamentally reshaping service delivery models.

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of digital technology’s role in Indian dental public health. Beginning with an examination of India’s broader public health landscape and its systemic challenges, the analysis narrows to dental-specific barriers before systematically reviewing the spectrum of digital interventions currently deployed or piloted in Indian contexts. Evidence from Indian studies demonstrates promising feasibility, user acceptance, and preliminary clinical impacts, though significant gaps remain in large-scale effectiveness data, economic evaluations, and long-term outcome assessments. The paper concludes by outlining strategic priorities for policy development, infrastructure investment, workforce capacity building, and implementation research necessary to translate pilot successes into sustainable, equitable, and scaled digital dental public health systems. Realizing this potential demands coordinated multi-sectoral action, sustained investment, and commitment to equity-centered design that ensures digital innovations benefit all Indians, particularly the most underserved.