Digital Transformation in Oral Health: A Systematic Review on the Impact of Digital Platforms and Artificial Intelligence on Oral Health Literacy

Oral health literacy is widely recognised as a fundamental determinant of oral health outcomes, influencing preventive behaviours, treatment adherence and overall quality of life. Despite significant advances in oral healthcare, oral diseases remain highly prevalent worldwide, highlighting persistent gaps in access to information, preventive care and health education. In recent years, the digital transformation of healthcare has accelerated the development and implementation of digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions, creating new opportunities to enhance health education, personalise interventions and improve communication between healthcare professionals and patients. In the field of oral health, digital tools such as mobile health applications, tele-dentistry platforms, educational websites, social media, serious games and AI-driven systems have been increasingly used to support patient education and promote preventive behaviours. These technologies have the potential to improve oral health literacy by delivering accessible, interactive and tailored information, while also addressing barriers related to time, geography and socioeconomic inequalities. However, existing evidence on their effectiveness remains heterogeneous, fragmented and methodologically diverse, particularly regarding the assessment of oral health literacy as a primary outcome. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesise and critically evaluate the available scientific evidence on the impact of digital platforms and artificial intelligence on oral health literacy. Specifically, this review aims to identify and categorise digital and AI-based interventions used in oral health education, assess their effects on knowledge, decision-making, self-care skills and preventive behaviours, and analyse the instruments used to measure oral health literacy. In addition, the review seeks to explore ethical, equity and digital inclusion considerations associated with the use of these technologies, as well as to identify gaps and methodological limitations in the current literature. This systematic review will be conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive literature search will be performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science, including studies published between 2020 and 2025. Eligible studies will include interventional, observational and clinical studies evaluating digital platforms or AI-based tools aimed at improving oral health literacy. Data extraction and qualitative synthesis will be carried out systematically, with an assessment of methodological quality and risk of bias. The expected outcomes of this review include a structured overview of digital and AI-based interventions in oral health literacy, an appraisal of their effectiveness across different population groups, and the identification of research gaps requiring further investigation. The findings are expected to support evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice, inform the development of future digital educational strategies, and contribute to the design of equitable, ethical and effective digital health policies in oral healthcare.