A team of biomedical engineers at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City is working on a prototype to allow dentists to perform remote robotic dentistry, NewsCenter1 reported April 11.
The team is working with Chad Carpenter, DDS, who practices in Rapid City but often serves rural and isolated communities where there are few dentists. He realized that remote dentistry could increase access to dental care in these areas.
The group is creating an automated device that can be set up by a dental hygienist at a local facility. A dentist can then remotely oversee the dental work being performed at the facility using a robotic extension.
The prototype uses 3D-printed impression trays to secure the device to the mouth. It also includes a handpiece with three dimensions of movement to get to the area that needs attention.