The Impact of the First Wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Providing Special Care Dentistry

A Survey for Dentists

Bibliographic Data

ID15513620
AuthorsJacobo Limeres Posse (0000-0001-6340-1993, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela), Maria Van Harten (0000-0002-6759-4144, Trinity College Dublin), Caoimhin Mac Giolla Phadraig (0000-0002-7797-1126, Trinity College Dublin), Márcio Diniz Freitas (0000-0001-5349-1091, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, corresponding author), Denise Faulks (0000-0002-1191-5658, Université Clermont Auvergne), Alison Dougall (0000-0003-0543-3940, Trinity College Dublin), Blanaid Daly (0000-0001-7748-6940, Trinity College Dublin), Pedro Diz Dios (0000-0002-1483-401X, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue6
Pages2970-2970
Publication date2021-03-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18062970
PMID33799369
OpenAlexW3139071182
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited34

This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the experiences of special care dentistry providers worldwide. An online survey was administered from 10 to 31 July 2020. Age, sex, years of professional activity, COVID-19 status, geographical area of origin and length of lockdown period were recorded for all participating dentists. The relationships between these variables and the changes in clinical activity, the treated patients' COVID-19 status and the implementation of protective measures in the dental clinic were analyzed. A total of 436 (70.6% women) dentists from 59 countries responded to the survey. Clinical activity was reduced or stopped for 79.1% of respondents. The most common change was to limit treatment to urgent care only (53.7%). Treatment under general anesthesia or deep sedation was discontinued (51.0%) or reduced (35.8%) for the majority of respondents. Male dentists were more likely to maintain their clinical activity than female dentists ( p p p < 0.001). The implementation of protective measures in the dental office was determined by the survey participant's sex, intensity of clinical activity and geographical area of origin. To conclude, the provision of special care dentistry was considerably reduced in response to the pandemic. Service maintenance was mainly related to the geographical area in which the surveyed dentists worked, further exacerbating pre-existing inequalities

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Dental care · Family medicine · Pandemic · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 diagnosis using AI · Demography · Dental Research and COVID-19 · Dentistry · Medicine · Internal Medicine

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