Predictors of Dental Students’ Behavioral Intention Use of Teledentistry: An Application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) Model

Shortages of dental professionals and access barriers to dental care are challenges to improving oral health and decreasing the burden of dental diseases. There are more than 57 million individuals in the U.S. who live in dental health professional shortage areas (DHPSA). The U.S. DHPSA areas need 9,951 dental practitioners to overcome the obstacles to oral care access. Due to dental care needs for these populations, it is imperative to find a new method to reach these underserved populations. Teledentistry is an innovative technology that can be used to improve access to care and oral health outcomes. Unfortunately, there is still limited utilization of teledentistry in dental practice in the U.S. Many studies have investigated factors associated with the applications of telehealth and telemedicine; however, limited investigations have addressed the barriers to the use and implementation of teledentistry. The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to explore factors associated with the future use of teledentistry among predoctoral dental students. To achieve this purpose, three interrelated projects were conducted. The first project involved a systematic review to investigate the validity of using teledentistry in dental practice. The second project examined demographics, individual characteristics, and prior experience with teledentistry associated with U.S. dental students’ intention to use teledentistry in their dental practice. The final project utilized the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model (UTAUT) to predict the future use of teledentistry by evaluating U.S dental students’ behavioral intention to use teledentistry in practice. The systematic review confirmed that a teledentistry oral diagnosis was comparable to face-to-face diagnosis and suggests the need for methodologically designed studies with appropriate statistical tests to further investigate the validity of teledentistry. Project II results indicated that dental students with prior teledentistry experience were more likely to utilize this technology in their future practice. Project III identified that the UTAUT model significantly predicted dental students’ behavioral intention to use teledentistry. All the UTAUT constructs were significantly associated with dental students’ behavioral intention. Findings from these three projects indicate that exposure to teledentistry while in dental school increases the likelihood of use as a licensed dentist

Application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Model to Predict Dental Students\u27 Behavioral Intention to Use Teledentistry

Abstract Teledentistry is an innovative technology that can be used to improve access to care and oral health outcomes. Dental students’ intention to use teledentistry after completing dental school has not been investigated. Purpose The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was used to predict intentions to use teledentistry among 4th-year U.S. dental students. Methods A cross-sectional approach was performed for a 7-week period in Spring 2019. All U.S. dental schools (N = 66) were invited to participate and 16 schools agreed to participate. An anonymous survey link was emailed to academic deans for dissemination to students. A total of 1416 4th-year dental students received the anonymous survey link and 210 students completed the survey (response rate = 14.8%). The survey included questions and scales that measured the UTAUT constructs of performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), and behavioral intentions (BI). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. The study was deemed exempt by institutional review board. Results The dental students’ BI to use teledentistry was significantly predicted by PE (R2 = 33%, P \u3c 0.01), EE (R2 = 24%, P \u3c 0.01), SI (R2 = 24%, P \u3c 0.01), and FC (R2 = 14%, P \u3c 0.01). The UTAUT model was statistically significant in predicting the BI and explained 40% of BI variance (R2 = .40, P \u3c 0.01). Conclusions Dental students’ perceptions about PE, EE, SI, and FC were associated with BI. Therefore, exposure to teledentistry while in dental school could increase the likelihood of use as a practicing provider

Health gerontechnology in ageing: a quantitative study

[EN] Over the last decade there has been a significant rise in Information and Communication Technologies [ICT] use among the elderly. Various recent studies highlight the benefits that ICT can provide to the elderly in terms of improvements to both mental and physical health, self-health assessment, satisfaction and quality of life, a reduction in the perception of loneliness, or favourable health behaviours. However, there are also reports that indicate that this age group continues to experience an equally significant digital exclusion. Researchers such affirm that use and access to digital technologies by older people is measured by different key factors that impinge on this digital divide such as level of education and/or income, gender, existence of any disabilities, place of residence, and even civil status. In response to the reduction of this digital divide, gerontechnology plays a fundamental role in this area. Gerontechnology can be defined as an interdisciplinary field that connects existing technologies and those that are developing with the aspirations and needs of the elderly, supporting in this way successful ageing. In this respect, the literature on this subject establishes that this new professional field, or applied discipline, presents five areas of study: living environments, communication, personal mobility and transportation, self-fulfilment and health. Specifically, our study focuses on this last area, which focuses on the development of technological devices geared towards preventing particular behaviours that are harmful to health and on improving the quality of life of those of an advanced age. Thus, this study has two main aims: on the one hand, to analyse the control that this age group possesses over the gerontechnology of health and, and on the other hand, the importance of its use to control various aspects of health and wellbeing. For this research a quantitative study was used, with a sample of 383 people from Castile and Leon [Spain] over the age of 60. A questionnaire designed according to the research aims was used in order to collect the data. The tool was divided into three sections: the first was aimed at collecting sociodemographic data, the second was made up of items to collect information on control over devices geared towards the area of health; and lastly, the third was aimed at studying the importance of using devices geared towards the monitoring of various aspects of health and wellbeing among the elderly. The data obtained was then analysed through the application of descriptive tests. The initial results of this study show that the majority of those surveyed are familiar with, but have never used the devices or apps geared towards health or for its monitoring. In spite of this tendency, the majority do recognise the importance of controlling aspects related to health and wellbeing through the use of technological devices. In both situations, differences regarding the age range of the participants can be noted. As a conclusion to this work, we highlight the existence of a digital divide among this age group. Therefore, we deem it necessary to expand this research with regard to the implementation and use of ICT among the elderly, providing innovative spaces where this age group can participate in an active way on the design, co-creation and assessment of efficient and useful products that are adapted to the needs of the end users

Investigating physician acceptance of telemedicine technology: A survey study in Hong Kong

Fast-growing interest in telemedicine and increased investment in its enabling technology have made physician technology acceptance a growing concern for development and management of telemedicine. In this study, we used Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate technology acceptance by physicians who practiced in public tertiary hospitals in Hong Kong. Our data supported the investigated theory, whose explanatory power of physicians' technology acceptance was moderate, however. Overall, physicians showed positive attitudes towards use of telemedicine technology and exhibited moderate intention to use it, particularly for clinical tasks. Furthermore, several implications for development and management of telemedicine can also be drawn from the findings.published_or_final_versio

Evaluating the Efficacy and Acceptability of Videoconferencing in School-Based Behavioral Consultation

School-based behavioral consultation is a way of providing psychological services to students through their teachers. This indirect service delivery model has been shown to be effective for improving academic and behavioral concerns. Typically, school-based behavioral consultation is conducted face-to-face (in-vivo) between consultants (psychologists) and consultee’s (teachers); however, current technologies have provided an alternative medium to communicate, via videoconferencing. Videoconferencing has been shown to be an effective alternative to face-to-face communication across many different practice domains and applications. Videoconferencing in schools, particularly for school-based behavioral consultation, may be a viable alternative. The proposed study evaluated the efficacy and acceptability of videoconferencing with teachers as an alternative means of conducting the problem identification interview of school-based behavioral consultation. A school psychology doctoral student interviewed teachers on two occasions (face-to-face and via videoconferencing) to obtain information about student problem behavior. The videoconferencing interviews were conducted across iPads using the videoconferencing software FaceTime. All interviews were video recorded and transcribed into text to code verbalizations, using the Consultation Analysis Record (CAR). Frequencies of verbalizations were totaled on the Consultation Analysis checklist (CAC) into 14 required categories. Data from the CAC was used to evaluate the efficacy of the interviews. Additionally, teachers completed two brief measures, the Fast Form of the Technology Acceptability Model (FF-TAM) and the Distance Communication Comfort Scale (DCCS) pre and post interviews. Data from The FF-TAM and DCCS was used to evaluate the acceptability of videoconferencing. Finally, moderators of the acceptability of videoconferencing were evaluated using a multiple regression analysis

Resistance of multiple stakeholders to e-health innovations: Integration of fundamental insights and guiding research paths

Consumer/user resistance is considered a key factor responsible for the failure of digital innovations. Yet, existing scholarship has not given it due attention while examining user responses to e-health innovations. The present study addressed this need by consolidating the existing findings to provide a platform to motivate future research. We used a systematic literature review (SLR) approach to identify and analyze the relevant literature. To execute the SLR, we first specified a stringent search protocol with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. Thereafter, we undertook an in-depth analysis of 72 congruent studies, thus presenting a comprehensive structure of findings, gaps, and opportunities for future research. Specifically, we mapped the relevant literature to elucidate the nature and causes of resistance offered by three key constituent groups of the healthcare ecosystem—patients, healthcare organizational actors, and other stakeholders. Finally, based on the understanding acquired through our critical synthesis, we formulated a conceptual framework, classifying user resistance into micro, meso, and macro barriers which provide context to the interventions and strategies required to counter resistance and motivate adoption, continued usage, and positive recommendation intent. Being the first SLR in the area to present a multi-stakeholder perspective, our study offers fine-grained insights for hospital management, policymakers, and community leaders to develop an effective plan of action to overcome barriers that impede the diffusion of e-health innovations.publishedVersionPaid open acces

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