ABSTRACT
Introduction: Millions of people have died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic caused by Sars-CoV-2. To increase aware-ness and knowledge of Covid-19, numerous online resources have been made available, particularly those pertaining to the dental profession. The purpose of this study was to determine dental professionals' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes concerning Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia. We performed a study using a Google Docs questionnaire that was disseminated to 305 dentists practising in Saudi Arabia.Materials and Methods: The questionnaire was divided into four sections: dentists' demographic and professional character-istics;dentists' awareness of the incubation period, disease symptoms, mode of transmission, and infection control measures for preventing Covid-19;and dentists' attitude toward treating patients with Covid-19. The questionnaire was completed by participants by selecting one response to each question. The descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, which were expressed as frequencies and percentages. The chi-square test was used to examine the relationship between professional activity and knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards Covid-19.Results: A total of 305 dentists took part in the survey, which resulted in a cohort of 305 dentists. Dentists in Saudi Arabia were well-versed in the signs and symptoms of Covid-19 infection in dental clinics, as well as the methods of transmission, infection control measures, and preventative techniques. Dentist, on the other hand, demonstrated a reasonable understanding of the additional preventative measures that can be taken to protect dental employees and other patients from Covid-19.Conclusion: Saudi dentists have an acceptable level of knowledge and understanding of Covid-19. However, such advance-ments would benefit patient management throughout this pandemic. Due to the high risk of infection spreading and acquisition among dental workers or individuals due to the close contact with patients and the nature of dental treatment, it is critical for dentists to remain updated on current knowledge in this rapidly moving field. Dentists' infection control expertise should be reinforced through continuous educational programs.
ABSTRACT
Introduction. Disease outbreak due to novel pathogens is a global challenge to public health. Coronaviruses are a class of pathogens that have been responsible for repeated disease outbreaks in the recent past. This study tries to identify the COVID-19 pandemic influence on patient's utilization of dental services and to find a solution. The main source of information regarding perceptions on barriers is the dental patients themselves. Hence, the authors have recorded the responses from a sample of dental patients from a dental clinic attached to a private dental institute in Jeddah. This study is novel, as no other investigations were conducted in the population in Jeddah. Aim: The study aims at assessing the barriers to the utilization of dental services during the COVID 19 pandemic. Materials and methods. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The method of sampling used was applied on a sample of patients from a private dental school. The distribution of the questionnaire was done electronically through google docs distributed through WhatsApp. Results and discussion. The participants responding to the survey were 283 out of 340. The response rate of the survey was 91%. Nearly 50% of the participants had no knowledge about the precautions to be taken when coming to the dental practitioner. The main reason/ barrier of dental services utilization, according to the study, is fear of Covid-19 transmission [164 (58.2%)]. The second reason is offered by people not having symptoms to visit a dentist [94 (33.3%)]. Also, the high cost of dental treatment was a barrier [67 (23.8%)]. The first reason of using technology for dental consultations of COVID-19 pandemic was safety, as it reduces the risk of its spreading, as responded by 77 (27.2%) patients in our study. Conclusions. Dental health care system has been compromised during the pandemic of COVID 19. The best alternative for patients visiting the dental clinic is to incorporate tele-dentistry into dental practice.