Scoping review of digital technologies for oral health education among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Background: There is a scarcity of knowledge on digital technology utilisation for oral health education in sub-Saharan Africa for adolescents and young adults. Aim: This study assessed the scope of digital technology utilisation for oral health education for adolescents and young adults in sub-Saharan Africa. Setting: The review focused on studies conducted within sub-Saharan African countries and aimed at adolescents and young adults aged 10–19 years. Methods: The scoping review was registered in the Open Science Framework. A systematic search of the literature was conducted in May 2024 and updated in August 2025 on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ACM and Google Scholar. The search terms included the phrases ‘oral health education’, ‘digital technology’, ‘adolescents’, ‘young adults’ and ‘sub-Saharan Africa’. The extracted details were guided by the World Health Organization framework for digital health interventions. Two independent reviewers conducted abstract and title screening, full-text screening and data extraction following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. One reviewer handled conflict resolution. Results: A total of 3745 records were identified, of which two studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies were conducted in Nigeria between 2013 and 2025. They were community-based, and Telehealth was used for health awareness broadcasts and education. Conclusion: The utilisation of digital technology in oral health education in sub-Saharan Africa is still low. Contribution: This study highlights the effectiveness of culturally adapted, video-based interventions delivered in indigenous languages for improving oral health education among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.