Teledentistry Acceptability Among Latina/o/x Adults in Rural Southwest Virginia.

ABSTRACT

Inequitable access to dental care remains a barrier to optimal health for rural populations. With the COVID-19 pandemic, teledentistry to improve the delivery of oral health care has been emphasized. Few previous investigations of teledentistry acceptability have included Latina/o/x populations in rural areas of the United States. We recruited Latina/o/x adults (N=91) in rural southwest Virginia to participate in a survey to assess correlates related to teledentistry acceptability. More than half of participants (57%) reported no interest in using teledentistry if it were available. Having a yearly household income above $24,000 and not having dental insurance were positively associated with telehealth acceptability (p=.04 and p=.01, respectively). Inequitable access to dental care may persist even with broad availability of teledentistry services unless there is explicit integration of health equity.