SARS-CoV-2 TEST OUTCOMES AMONG DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS WITH COVID-19-LIKE COMPLAINTS - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS FROM THE NETHERLANDS.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate, among individuals with COVID-19-like symptoms, the percentage of SARS-CoV-2 positive oral health care workers relative to health care workers in general and a non-close-contact occupation reference group in the Netherlands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was retrospectively analyzed based on data extracted from the CoronIT database. This contained mass testing data for those experiencing symptoms compatible with COVID-19 recorded from June 2020 up to February 2021. The total number of tests taken and the number of SARS-CoV-2 positive tests were assessed. Sub-analyses were performed for oral health care and health care workers based in professional working locations, long-term care facilities, hospitals, or elsewhere. RESULTS: In total, data from 1,999,390 tests were obtained. Overall, 9.4% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the three occupational groups. This was 9.2% for oral health care workers, 9.5% for health care workers, and 9.3% for the non-close-contact occupation reference group. For the three occupational groups the adjusted odds ratio with the month as covariate varied from 0.76 to 1.12. The odds ratio for oral health care workers compared to health care workers was 1 [95% CI:0.95;1.05] and 0.97 [95% CI:0.92;1.02] compared to the non-close-contact occupation reference group. Interpretation of the magnitude of the odds ratio indicates that the observed differences are none to very small. CONCLUSION: During the pandemic oral health care providers were required to adhere to the COVID-19-specific amendments to the national infection control guidelines. Based on the data gathered, dentists and dental hygienists with COVID-19-like symptoms do not test SARS-CoV-2 positive more often than other health care workers or those with a non-close-contact occupation. This supports the assumption that working during the pandemic using the Dutch standard hygiene guideline supplemented with the COVID guideline for oral health care is adequately safe.

Personal Protection Equipment and Infection Control Procedures among Health Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Health workers have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unclear which healthcare professions are more exposed. We search for information that can help identify health workers who are employed in exposure-prone professions and who, therefore, routinely wear and adopt strict infection control equipment and measures from other colleagues. Our purpose is to test the hypothesis that health professionals historically considered less exposure-prone are affected more severely by COVID-19. Taking dentists as an example of exposure-prone healthcare professionals, this study aims to analyze data on COVID-19-related deaths reported by the Italian board of doctors and dentists' database to evaluate the number of COVID-19-related deaths of doctors and dentists in Italy from the beginning of the pandemic to 31 December 2022. As of 31 December 2021, out of 364 deaths, 38 were dentists, and of the remaining 326 doctors, 140 were general practitioners (GPs). The percentage of deaths among dentists, total doctors and GPs results in 0.06%, 0.09% and 0.33%, respectively, for the whole sample. Excluding subjects over 70 years of age, the corresponding values are 0.05%, 0.06% and 0.25%. Most of the deaths occurred in Lombardia, and the geographical distribution overlaps the trend of the corresponding general Italian population. Considering the outcome of "death", dentists, despite being at high risk, are not particularly affected by COVID-19.

Safe practices of biomedical and dental waste management amongst practicing dental professionals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Biomedical waste can potentially compromise the environment and public safety if not safely disposed. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the understanding and safe practices of biomedical and dental waste amongst the dental practitioners and practical year students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A structured and validated questionnaire consisting of 21 closed ended questions was used to collect data from dental practitioners and students working in hospitals and clinics. The questionnaire was distributed in paper and digital form amongst the participants. Descriptive analysis was performed for categorical and numerical variables. Spearman correlation test was used to assess the relationship between awareness and waste disposal practices of dentists. A p-value of≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: More than three fourth of the participants were aware of proper dental waste disposal steps. One half was aware of the color-coded segregation of biomedical waste management. Two third of the participants were deploying safe biomedical waste practices. Nearly 68% subjects allocated separate labeled containers for disposal of COVID-19 suspected patient's waste. Furthermore, 71.63% participants were practicing PCR test before aerosol procedures. While 88.65% participants believed that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the financial burden in terms of safe practices and dental waste management. CONCLUSION: The awareness and practices of the participants towards dental waste management was found to be moderate. Satisfactory COVID-19 prevention and transmission measures were observed amongst the participants. BMW management lessons should be included in the academic curriculum and training program needs to be adopted for mass awareness.

Oral and maxillofacial dental care professionals in critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a 'call to arms' across the oral and maxillofacial staff. This article reports on the extended role of the department's dental care professionals (DCPs) and the tremendous opportunity and value that temporary redeployment presented.