Teledentistry for Homebound and Institutionalized Older Adults: A Rapid Review for Its Potential Use in Primary Healthcare.

Objective: To investigate teledentistry practices for oral healthcare of homebound and institutionalized older adults and to discuss their potential applicability to primary healthcare (PHC) settings. Method: A rapid literature review, structured by the SPICE model, searched 10 databases in October 2024, without language or date restrictions. Two independent researchers screened the studies, and a third researcher resolved disagreements. Data were tabulated to capture study characteristics, teledentistry intervention features, and reported outcomes. The study was registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/FD3PN). Results: Sixteen studies were included, comprising 15 teledentistry interventions targeting homebound or institutionalized older adults (≥60 years), conducted primarily in the United States, Japan, Australia, and Chile. Interventions took place at home ( Conclusions: Teledentistry may improve access to oral healthcare and support patient-centered care for homebound and institutionalized older adults. However, as the included studies were not conducted within PHC settings, these findings should be interpreted as evidence of potential applicability rather than direct implementation. Further research is needed to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and integration of teledentistry within PHC services.