IADR Abstract Archives
The Dental-Coach App: Its Usability and Patient’s Oral-health Behavior Change
Objectives: The Dental Coach app (Dutch: Mondmaatje.nl) is a tailored mobile app for oral-health promotion. The app provides personal dental advises and risk-analyses (based on oral hygiene scores, and smoking status), sends reminders, contains self-monitoring function and gives insight into personal dental files (e.g. dental chart). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the Dental Coach app on its content and usability, and patient’s self-reported behavior change.
Methods: 436 healthy Dutch adults visiting the Periodontal Clinic in Friesland (the Netherlands) were approached by email asking to fill in an online user-perception questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 61 questions regarding app usage, content, usability, appeal and self-reported oral-health behavior change (Scheerman et al, 2019). Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS; range 0-100, α=.89). One open question measured suggestions for improvement.
Results: 123 patients responded to the online questionnaire. Forty percent of the respondents used the app at least once a week. 54 persons (43%) reported that they improved their oral health behavior since using the app, of which 53 persons changed their tooth brushing method, 25 persons brushed their teeth more often and 47 persons used their dental aids more frequently. The content, usability (SUS=52.8, SD=14.6) and appeal of the app were evaluated as moderately positive by the users. On a scale from 0 (low) to 10 (high), the mean rating for the overall impression of the app was 6.4 (SD= 2.2). The top two suggestions were: to update the information about oral hygiene levels in the app’s dental file (n=25) and more guidance on how to use the app (n=4).
Conclusions: Although the app’s usability was rated as moderate, its use triggered a self-reported positive oral-health behavior change. Future research has to determine whether this self-reported behavior change translates into better oral health.
Methods: 436 healthy Dutch adults visiting the Periodontal Clinic in Friesland (the Netherlands) were approached by email asking to fill in an online user-perception questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 61 questions regarding app usage, content, usability, appeal and self-reported oral-health behavior change (Scheerman et al, 2019). Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS; range 0-100, α=.89). One open question measured suggestions for improvement.
Results: 123 patients responded to the online questionnaire. Forty percent of the respondents used the app at least once a week. 54 persons (43%) reported that they improved their oral health behavior since using the app, of which 53 persons changed their tooth brushing method, 25 persons brushed their teeth more often and 47 persons used their dental aids more frequently. The content, usability (SUS=52.8, SD=14.6) and appeal of the app were evaluated as moderately positive by the users. On a scale from 0 (low) to 10 (high), the mean rating for the overall impression of the app was 6.4 (SD= 2.2). The top two suggestions were: to update the information about oral hygiene levels in the app’s dental file (n=25) and more guidance on how to use the app (n=4).
Conclusions: Although the app’s usability was rated as moderate, its use triggered a self-reported positive oral-health behavior change. Future research has to determine whether this self-reported behavior change translates into better oral health.
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