Perspectives from Dentists, Dental Assistants, Students, and Patients on Dental Care Adapted to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Dental care has been affected by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) worldwide. In contrast to other dental clinics, the Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (Germany) decided not to limit dental treatment to emergencies alone, but to continue dental care for all patients, with increased safety measures. As such, health care professionals may be exposed to additional physical and mental stress. The aim of this study was to assess the perspectives of all persons involved in dental care (dentists, dental assistants, students, and patients) regarding the aspects of safety measures, anxiety about self-infection and infecting others, and other prospects in the period March to December 2020 using a questionnaire. Data collection was performed between 14 December 2020 and 23 January 2021. A total of 35 dentists (response rate of 79.5%), 23 dental assistants (65.7%), 84 students (80%), and 51 patients (21.8%) completed the survey. The patients did not notice any changes in the care received. Dentists and dental assistants reported a higher workload due to additional safety measures. The majority of dentists, students, and patients agreed that normal patient care was maintained. One-third of dental assistants would have preferred emergency treatment alone and expressed significantly higher anxiety about COVID-19 infection than all other groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, all groups showed a predominantly positive perspective on dental care, and anxiety about self-infection and infecting others was especially low. However, additional measures are time-consuming and compound daily patient care. This concept, based on well-established infection control, might be a viable proposal for current and future pandemics.

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IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PATIENTS' ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEIR DENTAL NEEDS

10.36106/9528001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 63-65

Author(s):

Sonia Khatri ◽

Indiresha H Narayana ◽

Soumyadeep Ghosh ◽

Kavimalar Kavimalar ◽

Arbiya Anjum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Treatment ◽

Descriptive Statistics ◽

Dental Practice ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dental Clinics ◽

Validated Questionnaire ◽

Dental Setting ◽

Precautionary Measures ◽

Dental Needs

The Covid-19 has changed the life of the entire world and its wave has affected all elds of medicine and dentistry. The concern about coronavirus transmission and dental practice has been widely recognized around the world.The purpose of this survey was to investigate the inuence of coronavirus disease on patients' views with regards to their dental treatment requirements. Materials and methods: It is a cross-sectional survey conducted over 430 patients seeking dental treatment in Ramaiah dental college and hospital Bangalore, Karnataka, India. This survey has been conducted through electronic communication applications such as WhatsApp and Gmail, for three months. A structured and validated questionnaire was administered to the study subjects. Collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Results:Atotal of 1000 patients were selected for the survey, in this only 43% of subjects completed the survey. Out of 430 responses, 50.1% of the subjects had dental problems. 38.3% of subjects expressed the unavailability of dental clinics and hospitals during Covid-19, 31.4% unavailability of the dentist. Of the 42.9% of patients who visited the dental clinic during the covid-19 pandemic, 38% of subjects observed the increase in treatment cost, only 30.5% of subjects were provided with emergency treatment. The majority of subjects (75.7%) expressed that dentists are practicing good precautionary measures such as wearing PPE kits, mouth masks etc. Conclusion: During the coronavirus pandemic, the patients demonstrated good knowledge and an optimistic attitude towards the precautionary modications in regard to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the dental setting.

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CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY OF ATTITUDE, PRACTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF ORAL HYGIENE PRACTICES AND DENTAL TREATMENT IN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN SOUTH CANARA DISTRICT.( KARNATAKA)

Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1703827 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 04 (04) ◽

pp. 028-032

Author(s):

K.S Sharath ◽

Manavi Prabhu ◽

Biju Thomas ◽

Shamila Shetty

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Oral Hygiene ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Information Needs ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hygiene Practices

Abstract Objective: The purpose of the study is to estimate the knowledge, attitude and practise of the oral hygiene,and dental treatment, and its correlation with everyday oral hygiene practices among the health care professionals of south canara district ( Karnataka) Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted on 200 health care professionals between Jan 20th to Feb 20th 2013.Two hundred health professionals were asked to answer a questionnaire containing 15 questions.Data once collected was analysed using SPSS software. Results: 56.3% health professionals visited the dentist once in six months. 26% health professionals felt that unavailability of time is the main factor influencing dental visits. Main cause of taking a dental appointment in 33% subjects was found to be dental caries. 54.6% obtained information on oral hygiene practices through mass media followed by 22.3 % who obtained it directly from the dentist.59.2% brushed their teeth twice daily.50% used medium bristle tooth brush.48.5 % had a brushing time of 3-5 min. 41.5% did not use any other oral hygiene aid.28.64% got scaling done in the last 3-6 months. 56% did not have an habit of using a tooth pick. 43.3% used combination of circular, vertical and horizontal method of brushing.45.5% felt that scaling caused loss of enamel. Conclusion: It appears that knowledge, attitude, and behaviour attitude, practice and knowledge of oral hygiene practices and dental treatment in health care professionals in South Canara district is gud.Though more information needs to be provided about other oral hygiene aids.

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Factors affect on implementation of home dental care

10.21203/rs.2.16477/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Yoshiaki Nomura ◽

Erika Kakuta ◽

Ayako Okada ◽

Ryoko Otsuka ◽

Hideaki Saito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nursing Home ◽

Home Care ◽

Dental Care ◽

Care Service ◽

Oral Care ◽

Postal Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dental Clinics ◽

Dental Home

Abstract Background In Japanese super aging society, there is a need to establish home dental care service supply system. Current situation of home dental care should be analyzed.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered postal questionnaire distributed to all members of Iwate Dental Association. Implementation of home and nursing home dental care, number of staffs of dental clinic and the contents of dental home care were analyzed. For the analysis, correspondence analysis, item response theory, and zero-inflated model were used.Results Among 354 dental clinics, 187 (52.8%) were implemented home dental care and 195 (55.1%) were implemented nursing home dental care. Dental clinics handle home dental care by part-time workers. Denture treatment and oral care was the common treatment of dental home care.Conclusion More than half of the dental clinics were not managed the home dental care. Infrastructure improvement is necessary for the sufficient supply of dental home care service.

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Covid-19: a survey on knowledge, awareness and hygiene practices among dental health professionals in an Indian scenario

Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny ◽

10.32394/rpzh.2020.0115 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 223-229 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Health Care Professionals ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Dental Health ◽

Health Sector ◽

Current Treatment ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hygiene Practices ◽

Dental Practitioners ◽

Student’S T

Background. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) continues to spread globally. It has become a major cause of concern for health care professionals all over the world. Objective. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, awareness and hygiene practices regarding COVID-19 among private dental practitioners practicing in Tricity (Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali) in India during these critical times. Materials and Methods. A total of 245 private dentists participated in this cross-sectional survey and finally 215 constituted the final sample size. A self-administered, multiple choice type questionnaire (verified by a specialist) was administered to obtain information from the subjects. The questionnaire was divided into two parts and included 15 questions on knowledge and awareness regarding COVID-19. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA and Student’s t-test. Results. Percentage of subjects who answered correctly regarding main symptoms of COVID-19 and primary mode of transmission was 87% and 82.5% respectively. One-third of the subjects were not aware regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be used while rendering dental treatment. 75% of subjects were of the opinion that supportive care is the current treatment regime for COVID-19. Less than one-third of subjects (30.2%) reported high scores. Education level (p=0.018) and health sector profile (p=0.024) of the subjects were significantly associated with mean knowledge scores. Conclusion. The findings of the present study showed that some notable deficiencies in knowledge existed among dental professionals regarding some vital aspects of COVID-19. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improving dentists’ knowledge via health education and training programs. Further studies on the subject are also warranted once the situation normalizes.

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What Factors Influence Dental Faculty’s Willingness to Treat Pregnant Women?

JDR Clinical & Translational Research ◽

10.1177/23800844211028132 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 238008442110281

Author(s):

S.S. Huang ◽

C. Yang ◽

V. Cohen ◽

S.L. Russell

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Dental Care ◽

Treatment Guidelines ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Educational Interventions ◽

Dental School ◽

Treatment Preferences ◽

New York University ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Despite evidence-based guidelines advocating for the provision of oral health care throughout pregnancy, dentists remain hesitant to provide dental treatment for pregnant women. However, little is known about attitudes toward treating pregnant women among dental school faculty, who may transmit their attitudes and treatment preferences to their students. Methods: We collected cross-sectional survey data at the New York University College of Dentistry, which produces 10% of all US dentists and is the largest US dental school, to understand faculty attitudes and knowledge regarding providing dental treatment to pregnant women. This study was part of an educational effort to improve dental care access by pregnant women and to examine what factors influence willingness to treat pregnant patients among dental faculty members. Results: We found that concerns about professional liability outweighed inadequate knowledge regarding treatment of pregnant patients in determining dental faculty’s willingness to treat pregnant women. Conclusions: Educational interventions delivered to dental faculty regarding current dental treatment guidelines for pregnant women may not be sufficient to increase faculty’s provision of dental care to women during pregnancy. Future work to design effective interventions to increase dental treatment of pregnant women among dental faculty should address liability concerns. Knowledge Transfer Statement Interventions addressing dental clinician and faculty knowledge about dental treatment for pregnant women may be insufficient to increase dental treatment among pregnant women. Instead, policy makers should consider designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions addressing malpractice and liability concerns.

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Impact and Perspectives of Pediatric Dental Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic Regarding Unvaccinated Children: A Cross-Sectional Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182212117 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (22) ◽

pp. 12117

Author(s):

Nelly Schulz-Weidner ◽

Maximiliane Schlenz ◽

Norbert Krämer ◽

Sarra Boukhobza ◽

Katrin Bekes

Keyword(s):

Patient Care ◽

Dental Care ◽

Online Survey ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Pediatric Dentistry ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pediatric Dentists ◽

The Impact

The pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus has led to enormous challenges in pediatric dental care. In contrast to adults, many children are without any symptoms of disease if infected with COVID-19 and are not vaccinated. The aim of this study was to conduct an inquiry into the perspective of pediatric dentists in Germany towards the impact of COVID-19 on daily patient care during the lockdowns caused by the pandemic. All members of the Germany Society of Pediatric Dentistry were invited to participate in an online survey. The questionnaire focused on five topics: safety measures, well-being/knowledge, patient care, prospects, and demographic data. A total of 549 pediatric dentists participated (58.11% females, 8.2% males, 0.18% inter/diverse, and 33.51% no answer). In total, 75.2% of the dental clinics were open during the first lockdown (LD1) and 78.1% during the second lockdown (LD2). In LD1, only 22.2% were operating at full capacity, while 40.1% were open with restrictions, and 11.8% only offered emergency treatment. In LD2, 71.2% of practices were operating again and resumed offering all treatment methods. A significant decrease in pediatric patients was reported due to the fact of COVID-19. Furthermore, measures, such as oral hygiene and recall appointments, were reduced. Measures that were performed after the lockdown were mainly aerosol-generating procedures and extractions as well as general anesthesia or sedation. The increased willingness to treat in the second lockdown has shown that pediatric dentists have adapted to the pandemic conditions, which seems to be of great importance, especially in view of the problem of unvaccinated children.

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Iranians' Attitudes About Possible Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in Dental Settings

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/509860 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 234-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mehrdad Askarian ◽

Kamran Mirzaei ◽

Ojan Assadian

Keyword(s):

Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Virus Transmission ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Dental Offices ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome ◽

Dental Assistants ◽

Hiv Aids

We conducted a cross-sectional survey from October through December 2004 of 8,312 residents of Shiraz, Iran, to investigate Iranians' perceptions about undergoing dental treatment in dental offices where other patients or the dentist and/or dental assistants are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Most survey respondents (83%) had acceptable general knowledge about the mode of transmission of HIV and about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); however, many misconceptions were observed. A negative association was detected between the level of concern about contracting HIV/AIDS and the intention to continue treatment in services where patients with HIV/AIDS were also treated or where the dentist and/or dental assistants had HIV/AIDS.

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Workforce and Contents of Home Dental Care in Japanese Insurance System

International Journal of Dentistry ◽

10.1155/2020/7316796 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yoshiaki Nomura ◽

Ayako Okada ◽

Erika Kakuta ◽

Ryoko Otsuka ◽

Hideaki Saito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Home Care ◽

Dental Care ◽

Oral Care ◽

Dental Service ◽

Infrastructure Development ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dental Clinics ◽

Part Time ◽

Dental Home

Background. In Japan’s super-aging society, it is required to establish a home dental service provision system. It is necessary to analyze the current state of visiting dentistry. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered postal mail questionnaire distributed to all members of the Iwate Dental Association. We analyzed the implementation status of dental care at home/nursing facilities, the number of dental clinic staff, and the contents of dental home care. Correspondence analysis, item response theory, and zero-inflated model were used for the analysis. Results. Of the 354 dental clinics, 187 (52.8%) performed visiting dental care and 195 (55.1%) implemented dental care in a nursing home. Visit dentistry was mainly performed by part-time workers. Denture treatment and oral care were common treatments for dental home care. Conclusion. More than half of the dental clinics did not offer visiting dentistry. In order to fully provide dental visiting services, infrastructure development is necessary. Specifically, human resources are most important, even if they are part-time workers.

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Impact of COVID-19 on the oral health of adults in Wuhan and China: results of a nationwide online cross-sectional questionnaire survey

BMC Oral Health ◽

10.1186/s12903-021-01533-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shuang Zhang ◽

Chang Liu ◽

Chenzheng Zhang ◽

Han Jiang ◽

Baojun Tai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Dental Care ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Oral Ulcers ◽

Gingival Bleeding ◽

Epidemic Period ◽

Bad Breath ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background COVID-19 has seriously threatened the health and lives of people. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the oral health of adults in Wuhan and other places of China amid the epidemic and to evaluate attitudes towards dental care in the post-epidemic period. Methods An online cross-sectional survey based on a questionnaire of 22 questions was conducted. Results A total of 3352 valid questionnaires were collected. Participants from Wuhan tended to be relatively psychologically affected and more concerned about future dental treatment. Toothbrushing frequency did not differ significantly between participants from Wuhan and other places and was associated with the prevalence of oral problems people encountered. Gingival bleeding, bad breath and oral ulcers were the three most common oral problems amid the epidemic, and significantly more participants in Wuhan experienced oral problems than other places in China. Conclusion The three most common oral problems amid the epidemic were gingival bleeding, bad breath and oral ulcers. Adults in Wuhan tended to be more seriously affected and suffered more oral problems than people from other places in China. Maintaining good oral health behaviours plays an important role in preventing dental problems. It is crucial to establish and to follow the standard guidelines for the provision of dental care during and after the epidemic.

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Investigating unmet need for healthcare using the European Health Interview Survey: a cross-sectional survey study of Luxembourg

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048860 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e048860

Author(s):

Valerie Moran ◽

Marc Suhrcke ◽

Maria Ruiz-Castell ◽

Jessica Barré ◽

Laetitia Huiart

Keyword(s):

Dental Care ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Wait Times ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Interview Survey ◽

European Health ◽

Prescribed Medicines ◽

European Health Interview Survey

ObjectivesWe investigate the prevalence of unmet need arising from wait times, distance/transportation and financial affordability using the European Health Interview Survey. We explore associations between individual characteristics and the probability of reporting unmet need.DesignCross-sectional survey conducted between February and December 2014.Setting and participants4004 members of the resident population in private households registered with the health insurance fund in Luxembourg aged 15 years and over.Outcome measuresSix binary variables that measured unmet need arising from wait time, distance/transportation and affordability of medical, dental and mental healthcare and prescribed medicines among those who reported a need for care.ResultsThe most common barrier to access arose from wait times (32%) and the least common from distance/transportation (4%). Dental care (12%) was most often reported as unaffordable, followed by prescribed medicines (6%), medical (5%) and mental health (5%) care. Respondents who reported bad/very bad health were associated with a higher risk of unmet need compared with those with good/very good health (wait: OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.53 to 3.80, distance/transportation: OR 7.12, 95% CI 2.91 to 17.44, afford medical care: OR 5.35, 95% CI 2.39 to 11.95, afford dental care: OR 3.26, 95% CI 1.86 to 5.71, afford prescribed medicines: OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.71, afford mental healthcare: OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.25 to 10.30). Income between the fourth and fifth quintiles was associated with a lower risk of unmet need for dental care (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.53), prescribed medicines (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.82) and mental healthcare (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.61) compared with income between the first and second quintiles.ConclusionsRecent and planned reforms to address waiting times and financial barriers to accessing healthcare may help to address unmet need. In addition, policy-makers should consider additional policies targeted at high-risk groups with poor health and low incomes.

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