2002

Sv@lTooth - A teleodontological pilot web-based service between Svalbard and Bergen in Norway

Sv@lTooth - A teleodontological pilot web-based service between Svalbard and Bergen in Norway.

Hedda Høvik, Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, University Hospital of North Norway Jan Norum, Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, University Hospital of North Norway Kyrre Hansen, Faculty of Engineering and Economics, Tromsø University College, Norway Nils Åge Førsund, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Bergen, Norway Per Arne Lunkan, Longyearbyen Hospital, Norway

Abstract

1Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, University Hospital of North Norway 2Faculty of Engineering and Economics, Tromsø University College, Norway 3Faculty of Dentistry, University of Bergen, Norway 4Longyearbyen Hospital, Norway

Purpose: There are about 2,500 people living on the arctic islands of Svalbard. The majority (1,500 people) are Norwegians. Annually, there are about 40,000 tourists visiting the islands and a significant fishing fleet is located on the fishing grounds in the area. During season, there may be 10,000 fishermen and seamen in the Barents' Sea. One dentist is situated at Longyearbyen serving the population, seamen, fishermen and tourists. A total of about 1,700 consultations are performed annually. To support the dentist on Svalbard, a orthodontist ambulates five times a year between Bergen and Svalbard. To possibly improve the communication between these two dentists, we established a pilot web-based teleodonotological service.

Methods: In October 2001, we initiated a plan to establish a web-based communication between the dentist at Longyearbyen Hospital on Svalbard and a orthodontist in Bergen in Western Norway. The following documentations were selected: 1) Clinical information. 2) Images of patients' teeth/mouth. 3) X-rays including cephalograms, orthopantograms (OPGs) and standard intraoral x-rays of the teeth. A home page (http://svaltann.nhn.no) was developed and located on a server at the North Norwegian Health Net in Tromsø. Any dentist or health care worker taking part in the project had access to the database by username and password. Each patient was coded according to a file at the Longyearbyen hospital. The home-page was running from February 2002. The project has been approved by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services.

Material: In the time period between February and April 2002, a total of 6 patients have been included. The median age was 11 years (range 7-14 years). A total of 20 images (3.3 images/patient) and 10 radiographs (1.7 radiographs/patient) were registered. The radiographs constituted of 4 OPGs, 4 cephalograms and 2 intraoral x-rays of the teeth.

Results: So far we have limited experience with the teleodontological service due to a limited population on Svalbard and a short observation time. The web site has been employed by the local dentist and the surgeon dentist 4 and 8 times, respectively. So far, the service has only been employed in orthodontic practice among children. Employing the web-site, the surgeon dentist has an easy way to update himself on the patients and plan the visit to Svalbard. It offers also a new possibility for advising. One case with cleft palate is an example in this setting. It was discussed and planned for treatment in Bergen employing the web site service.

Conclusion: The preliminary results indicate that the web site may improve the communication between the local dentist and the orthodontist and make it easier for the latter to stay updated on patients under therapy. The study is continuing and further data will be implemented in the presentation at the Nortelemed conference.

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