Repercussions of COVID-19 in Brazilian Dentists’ Personal and Professional Routines: An Online Survey
George TM Candeiro, Jiovanne R Neri, Bruna MDF de Carvalho, Camila P Feijão, Rafael L Avelar, José VM Lemos, Anya PGF Vieira-Meyer
Citation Information :
Candeiro GT, Neri JR, de Carvalho BM, Feijão CP, Avelar RL, Lemos JV, Vieira-Meyer AP. Repercussions of COVID-19 in Brazilian Dentists’ Personal and Professional Routines: An Online Survey. J Contemp Dent Pract 2021; 22 (5):491-500.
Aim and objective: This study evaluated the repercussions of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in Brazilian dentists’ personal and professional routines.
Materials and methods: Brazilian dentists were invited to participate in an online survey with questions pertaining to COVID-19 and its repercussions in dental practice. Sample calculation was performed using the Survey Monkey software (www.surveymonkey.com). The minimum sample required to obtain a 95% confidence level (CI) and 1% margin of error was 4,214. The eligibility criteria were dental professionals, of any gender and age, who were working in dentistry in a public, private, or university environment, regardless of the time of experience in the profession, and agreed to participate in the study. The survey was structured such that all the Brazilian regions were touched upon, thereby aiming at covering and collecting the representative data of the region. Responses were analyzed using chi-square tests, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance, with statistical significance at p <0.05.
Results: A total of 15,813 dentists responded to the survey, representing all Brazilian regions. Complete social isolation was practiced by 96.21% of the respondents, and approximately 25% knew someone who had contracted COVID-19. Public health specialists were the most likely to provide emergency treatment (71.90%, p <0.001). In the Northeast region, 79.80% of respondents agreed that conventional personal protective equipment (PPE) was insufficient to prevent COVID-19 transmission, and 79.10% considered their biosecurity measures insufficient (p <0.001). In the North region, most dentists continued to perform elective dental procedures (p <0.001).
Conclusion: It is possible to conclude that Brazilian dentists demonstrated high knowledge of COVID-19's main symptoms and the risks of transmission through dental procedures. Most respondents practiced social isolation, although some did continue to provide emergency dental care.
Clinical significance: To improve infection control in dental care settings against COVID-19, it is necessary to educate and raise awareness among professionals.
An P, Song P, Lian K, et al. CT manifestations of novel coronavirus pneumonia: a case report. Balkan Med J 2020;37(3):163–165. DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2020.2020.2.15.
Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, et al. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci 2020;12(1):9. DOI: 10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9.
Sohrabi C, Alsafi Z, O'Neill N, et al. World Health Organization declares global emergency: a review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Int J Surg 2020;76:71–76. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.034.
World Health Organization. Consideration for quarantine of individuals in the context of containment for coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 2020. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/considerations-for-quarantine-of-individuals-in-the-context-of-containment-for-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19).
World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Situation dashboard; 2020. Available from: https://covid19.who.int.
Ministério da Saúde do Brasil. Painel coronavírus. Available from: https://COVID.saude.gov.br/.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. IBGE divulga o rendimento domiciliar per capita 2018. Available from: ftp://ftp.ibge.gov.br/Trabalho_e_Rendimento/Pesquisa_Nacional_por_Amostra_de_Domicilios_continua/Renda_domiciliar_per_capita/Renda_domiciliar_per_capita_2018.pdf.
Conselho Federal de Odontologia; 2020. Available from: http://website.cfo.org.br/profissionais-cadastrados/?cro=Todos&categoria=1&especialidade=todas&inscricao=&nome=.
Ather A, Patel B, Ruparel NB, et al. Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19): implications for clinical dental care. J Endod 2020;46(5):584–595. DOI: 10.1016/j.joen.2020.03.008.
American Dental Association. ADA recommending dentists postpone elective procedures; 2020. Available from: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2020-archive/march/ada-recommending-dentists-postpone-elective-procedures.
World Health Organization. Coronavirus; 2020. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_3.
Meng L, Hua F, Bian Z. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): emerging and future challenges for dental and oral medicine. J Dent Res 2020;99(5):481–487. DOI: 10.1177/0022034520914246.
Xu J, Li Y, Gan F, et al. Salivary glands: potential reservoirs for COVID-19 asymptomatic infection. J Dent Res 2020;22034520918518. DOI: 10.1177/0022034520918518.
Xu R, Cui B, Duan X, et al. Saliva: potential diagnostic value and transmission of 2019-nCoV. Int J Oral Sci 2020;12(1):11. DOI: 10.1038/s41368-020-0080-z.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); 2020. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html.
Umer F, Haji Z, Zafar K. Role of respirators in controlling the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) among dental health care providers: a review. Int Endod J 2020. DOI: 10.1111/iej.13313.
Kariwa H, Fujii N, Takashima I. Inactivation of SARS coronavirus by means of povidone-iodine, physical conditions, and chemical reagents. Jpn J Vet Res 2004;52(3):105–112. DOI: 10.1159/000089211
Kampf G, Todt D, Pfaender S, et al. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and its inactivation with biocidal agents. J Hosp Infect 2020;104(3):246–251. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022.
Hokett SD, Honey JR, Ruiz F, et al. Assessing the effectivess of direct digital radiography barrier sheaths and finger cots. J Am Dent Assoc 2000;131(4):463–467. DOI: 10.14219/jada.archive.2000.0202.
Antunes JL, Narvai PC. Dental health policies in Brazil and their impact on health inequalities. Rev Saude Publica 2010;44(2):360–365. DOI: 10.1590/S0034-89102010005000002.
Innes NP, Evans DJ. Evidence of improved access to dental care with direct access arrangements. Evid Based Dent 2013;14(2):36–37. DOI: 10.1038/sj.ebd.6400926.
Garbin AJ, Garbin CAS, Arcieri RM, et al. Biosecurity in public and private office. J Appl Oral Sci 2005;13(2):163–166. DOI: 10.1590/S1678-77572005000200013.
Davis D, Begole EA. Compliance with infection control procedures among Illinois orthodontists. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 1998;113(6):647–654. DOI: 10.1016/s0889-5406(98)70225-2.
Galvani AP. Emerging infections: what have we learned from SARS? Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10(7):1351–1352. DOI: 10.3201/eid1007.040166.
Gilbert M, Pullano G, Pinotti F, et al. Preparedness and vulnerability of African countries against importations of COVID-19: a modelling study. Lancet 2020;395(10227):871–877. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30411-6.