Page 109 - 7. FINAL draft Compendium 2019 2020_22072022

AN AUDIT ON THE QUALITY OF CLINICAL PHOTOGRAPHS AT ORTHODONTIC
DEPARTMENT, KOTA KINABALU, SABAH
NMRR-19-1112-48214

Har WY, Lynnora PM

Introduction: Clinical photographs remain the most invaluable, practical, conventional,
quick and simple method in providing information. Photographs also serve as important
medico-legal records. A correctly taken photograph offered useful information to both
clinicians and patients. Poor quality photographs might deliver inaccurate intra-oral and
extra-oral messages. Objective: The aim of this audit is to assess the quality of clinical
photographs in order to evaluate the standard of photo-taking in Orthodontic Department,
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study involving patients
who completed their active orthodontic treatment in this department between June 2015
and December 2015. A complete set of clinical photographs consisted of 5 intra-oral and 4
extra-oral photographs of pre- and post-treatment were audited. Photographs were traced
back through a computer database. The quality of each photograph was assessed by an
orthodontist. Quality grading and the details of errors were recorded. Data collected were
analysed descriptively. The gold standard of this audit was that 100% of photographs
should achieve at least acceptable diagnostic quality. Results: Of 68 patients reviewed, only
22% (n = 15) had a complete set of 270 pre- and post-treatment clinical photographs. Of
those, 51% (n = 138) were good photographs, 38% (n = 103) were acceptable photographs
and 11% (n = 29) were unacceptable photographs. The common extra-oral photographs
error found were over cropped lateral (n = 14), inappropriate camera angulations (n = 6),
hair over-ears (n = 4) and tipped head (n = 4). The intra-oral photographs error commonly
found were overly viewed medial buccal occlusion (n = 22), poorly focused (n = 19) and
saliva bubbles (n = 11). Conclusion: The gold standard of 100% was not achieved as 89% of
clinical photographs achieved good or acceptable diagnostic quality. The second cycle of
the audit would be done after the implementation of strategies to improve the quality of
photographs in the Orthodontic Department, Kota Kinabalu.

Presented at the Orthodontic Department, Hospital Queen Elizabeth II on 15 January 2021.
th
Dr. Har Wai Yan
Dr. Lynnora Patrick Majawit
Orthodontic Specialist Clinic
Queen Elizabeth II Hospital
Kota Kinabalu Sabah

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