How Digital Systems Are Reshaping Dentistry
A Global Look at Dental Informatics, Electronic Records, and Clinical Data Use
A quiet digital revolution in dental care
Over the past few decades, dentistry has undergone a quiet but profound transformation. Behind the scenes of dental chairs and clinical procedures, information technology has been steadily changing how dentists record data, make decisions, and improve patient care. This growing field known as dental informatics combines dentistry with health information systems to support clinical practice, education, research, and management.
A recent scoping review published in BMC Oral Health takes a comprehensive look at how far dental informatics has progressed, and where important gaps still remain.
Why dental informatics matters
Modern dental care increasingly relies on health information systems (HIS), especially electronic dental records (EDRs). Unlike paper charts, EDRs can store detailed clinical information, support workflow, and enable data sharing across systems. When used effectively, they can also help dentists monitor outcomes, improve quality of care, and contribute to research.
However, the full potential of EDRs depends on three critical elements:
Standardized clinical coding systems
Efficient and accurate data capture
Meaningful reuse of routine clinical data
This review set out to examine how well dentistry has addressed these three pillars.
What the researchers did
The authors conducted a scoping review, a method designed to map existing research rather than evaluate a single intervention. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, they systematically searched PubMed and Web of Science for studies published between 2000 and early 2021.
The literature search focused on three themes:
Standardized clinical coding systems in dentistry
Methods and challenges of data capture in electronic dental records
Reuse of routine patient care data for decision support, quality measurement, and research
In total, 44 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed.
Key findings: progress with limitations
1. Standardized coding is essential but still uneven
Standardized clinical coding allows dental diagnoses and treatments to be recorded in a structured, machine-readable way. This makes it possible to compare outcomes, support decision-making, and reuse data for research.
The review found that while several coding systems have been proposed over the years, only a few such as SNOMED CT and the Oral Health and Disease Ontology are currently viable. Many studies report positive attitudes toward standardized codes, especially in academic settings. However, real-world adoption remains limited, particularly in private practice.
Complex interfaces, lack of training, and unclear benefits are common barriers.
2. Data capture quality remains a major challenge
Incomplete or inconsistent data entry is a persistent problem in dental records. Studies reviewed showed that essential clinical information is often missing, even in electronic systems.
Poorly designed user interfaces, fragmented workflows, and excessive documentation burdens make it difficult for practitioners to enter accurate data during busy clinical routines. While technical solutions such as voice input, natural language processing, and improved interface design have been explored, they are not yet widely implemented.
3. Clinical data reuse is promising but underused
One of the most exciting possibilities of dental informatics is the reuse of routine clinical data. The review identified three main areas where EDR data are reused:
Clinical decision support systems (CDSS)
Quality measurement and monitoring
Clinical and epidemiological research