Psychological impact of Covid-19 pandemic on dentists.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have an incessant out-turn on the people in every field in some or the other way. It has been reported that maximum number of deaths in the countries during this pandemic are caused due to a term called death anxiety or phobia. There are certain parameters such as anxiety, apprehension, depression which if influence a person can alter one's well-being. Objective: The steadfast intent of this review article is to narrate the psychological impact of this pandemic on dentists. The eloquence and emergence of this topic will alarm all the medicos and paramedics to have a check on this scenario. Methods: The article consists of detailed study from several articles from PubMed publications. Articles written only in English language were referred. Various keywords such as "Covid-19 pandemic" or "Psychological Impact" were used. Results: The Covid-19 Pandemic has adversely affected all of us physically as well as psychologically. This article signifies the psychological impact of this pandemic on dentists. Conclusion: The current studies that are carried out till date show an extensive impact on the psychology of the dental professionals. The following review article elaborates the importance of the same.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dentists in Latin America's Epicenter: São Paulo, Brazil.

The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stress and anxiety symptoms among dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A structured questionnaire was sent electronically to 93,280 dentists with active registration in the Dental Council of São Paulo, Brazil, enquiring about information regarding the first-wave peak period in Brazil. Descriptive analyses of background characteristics, perceptions of preparedness, and psychological impact were calculated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed, and independent variables that showed p < 0.20 were used in the adjusted logistic regression model to compare the psychological impact on dental professionals. Among the 2113 respondents, female participants had 63% lower chance of reporting anxiety than males. Older dentists had a lower likelihood of reporting anxiety compared to 21-30-year-old dentists (p ≤ 0.05). Dentists working in the public health service were 1.78 times more likely to report anxiety than those who worked in private practice. Finally, dentists in the COVID-19 high-risk group and those with a family or team member with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis were more likely to have anxiety. This study can help dental and other healthcare professionals to better understand the consequences of COVID-19 in terms of mental health.

Clinical Attitudes, Behaviors and Perceived Stress Towards the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Questionnaire Survey among Swiss Dentists.

PURPOSE: To investigate dentists' work conditions, awareness, protective measures, economic effects and perceived stress during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 126 dentists working in the Frenchspeaking part of Switzerland, in particular in the Cantons of Vaud and Geneva. Data consisted of the answers to 40 questions assessing the knowledge, attitudes, workload and mental condition of the dentists during the first 2 waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Swiss dentists received sufficient information about the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented protective measures. Differences were found between the 1st and the 2nd wave concerning the workload; during the first wave, the workload was low for the majority of dentists (60%), whereas during the second, it was moderate (53.4%) or high (41.3%). During both waves, the mental burden was also important, and was related mainly to financial issues and fear of infection. CONCLUSIONS: This survey reported that Swiss dentists were, in general, satisfied with the transmission of precise operating guidelines during the pandemic. However, a considerable psychological impact, mainly during the first wave, was revealed. With the implementation of proper strategic measures during the COVID-19 outbreak, dental practitioners will be prepared for future global health-care disruptions.

Impact of Social Support on Perceived Stress in Latin American and Caribbean Dental Students and Dental Practitioners during Mandatory Social Isolation within the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of social support on perceived stress in Latin American and Caribbean dental students and dental practitioners during mandatory social isolation within the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 1812 dental students and dental practitioners from 21 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Perceived stress was assessed using the perceived stress scale (PSS-14), and the influence of social support was addressed using the Duke-UNC-11. Additionally, sociodemographic variables, knowledge of and preventive behaviour against COVID-19 and health status were considered. A descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed through multiple linear regression. RESULTS: In the multivariate analysis, model 4 presented R2% = 21.20 (P < 0.001), a constant of 40.049; within the model, the social support variable had a non-standardised regression coefficient (b) of -4,527 (95% CI - 5.646 to -3,408; P < 0.001), the self-perceived level of concern regarding COVID-19 was b = 1.838 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.887 to 2.790; P < 0.001), the self-perceived health status was b = -2.191(95% CI -2.944 to -1.437; P < 0.001), the number of days in compulsory isolation was b = -0.965 (95% CI -1.908 to -0.022; P = 0.045), while the level of confinement was b = 0.923 (95%CI: 0.106-1.740; P = 0.027), age was b = -1.743 (95% CI -2.625 to -0.860; P < 0.001), sex was b = 1.324 (95% CI 0.311 to 2.337; P = 0.011) and the economic income level was b = -1.539 (95% CI -2.434 to -0.644; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: An association was determined between perceived stress and social support, as well as the variables of concern about the disease, self-perceived health status, number of days and level of confinement, age, sex and economic income level, based on the experience of dental practitioners and dental students in mandatory isolation.

Assessment of Psychosocial Factors in Brazilian Dentists Facing Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Public and Private Sectors.

Dentists are at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to their close proximity to patients. Thus, the fear of contamination or spreading the virus to family members, coupled with financial need, can lead professionals to experience significant overload and psychological suffering. We investigated the perceptions of dental professionals in the public and private sectors regarding fear and anxiety related to patient care and the risk of infection in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the previous literature, we interviewed 302 dentists online using sociodemographic and professional questions. Among the professionals evaluated, 80.8% had suspended their activities for some time, 74.8% were afraid of infection at work, 86.1% feared transmitting the virus to their families, 30.1% had already been infected, 54% felt afraid when they heard the news of death caused by SARS-CoV-2, and 63.9% reported having the protective knowledge necessary to avoid infection. Dentists who worked only in the public sector and those who worked in both sectors were more afraid of being infected than professionals who worked only in private offices. Our results highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emotional health in dentists. This study highlights the need for more support in the psychosocial field to enable dentists to overcome difficulties and maintain the provision of good dental care for the population. Continuing education should update professions with the requisite scientific and clinical knowledge to face the pandemic and achieve greater reflection on their role within this new context to improve their professional and emotional performance.

One-year impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Italian dental professionals: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the daily work of the dental professionals, assuming unprecedented economic, managerial, and psychological implications. The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to analyze the extent of the impact linked to the imposed working conditions on the Italian dental team. METHODS: The survey was administered with a web-based form (Google Forms®; Google LLC, Mountain View, CA, USA) to Italian dentists and hygienists. To be enrolled in the study, participants had to reach the adulthood and agree to sign the privacy policy. The impact of COVID-19 was analyzed through a 27-items questionnaire, which was divided into 4 main domains: personal protective equipment (PPE), operative procedures, secretarial organization, and self-reported quality of life (including e-learning appraisal). RESULTS: A total of 614 between dentists and dental hygienists completed the questionnaire. Compared to the prepandemic period, the use of PPE such as face shields, surgical caps and disposable gowns were implemented after the COVID-19 outbreak. Almost the whole interviewed (99.9%) received the COVID-19 vaccine. An increased use of preoperatory mouthwashes and rubber dam was referred during the pandemic, while aerosolization (i.e., ultrasound) was drastically reduced. A certain number of respondents (30% dentists, 27% hygienists) suffered from work-related stresses during the pandemic until they desired to change jobs. E-learning was considered beneficial for the 70% of participants. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 pandemic influenced dental professionals' life, leading to a rearrangement of professional, managerial, and cultural life for both dentists and hygienists even after 1 year from the outbreak.

Is examining children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders a challenge?-Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German dentists with key expertise in paediatric dentistry.

OBJECTIVES: This questionnaire-based validation study investigated if the dental examination of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is viewed by dentists with key expertise in paediatric dentistry as a challenge or a threat in terms of transactional stress theory. The Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM) was used for this purpose and it's feasibility and validity was examined as a first part of a multi-stage process for validation in dentistry with a sample of German dentists. It has hardly been investigated how the treatment of children and adolescents with a disorder from the autism spectrum is perceived by dentists. METHODS: An online-based survey (39 questions) plus the SAM as an add-on as well as a preceding short story of imagination on the topic (appointment for a dental check-up in a special school) were developed. Via e-mail members of the German Society of Paediatric Dentistry (DGKiZ) received a link which enabled interested members to participate. The majority of the members of the DGKiZ have additional qualifications in the treatment of children and adolescents and further training in the area of special needs care in dentistry. The data analysis was based on the SAM and its subscales. RESULTS: Out of the 1.725 members of DGKiZ 92 participants (11 male, 81 female) fully completed the questionnaire and the SAM. All in all the dentists rated their own psychological and physical stress in course of treating children and adolescents with a disorder from the autism spectrum between less and partly stressful. Although the structure of the SAM could not be fully mapped by means of a factor analysis, the different ratings "challenge" or "threat" could be comprehensibly evaluated after reading the story. The participants rated the situation from the story in general as challenging but not as threatening. Intercorrelations between the subscales of the SAM (e.g threat and centrality) of r = .56 showed that the scales are not clearly independent of one another. According to the transactional stress model, the SAM bases on, stress (perceived stressfulness) arises from appraisal processes (e.g. threat, controllable-by-self) that bring about a comparison between the requirements for the described situation and one's own possibilities in terms of a person-environment-fit. In the hierarchical regression a variance of R2 = .48 could be explained with all six subscales (appraisal processes) to predict perceived stressfulness of the SAM within a sample of dentists. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the response rate the results of the SAM are not representative for all German dentists, but it offers an insight into topics of special needs dentistry in Germany that have not yet been examined. Overall, the feasibility and validity of the SAM in the context of mapping cognitive appraisal processes and stress could be confirmed. Taking into account the result that the treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is seen as a challenge, it is concluded that there is a need to improve the education of dental students and graduated dentists in Germany in the field of special needs dentistry.

Knowledge, attitude, and behaviour of dentists working during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has immensely affected the world's population at physical and psychosocial levels. Dentists are no different from other healthcare providers, as they are equally if not more exposed to the threat of getting infected. OBJECTIVE: To assess the experience and behavior of public and private sector dentists practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic and their knowledge about it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted online by sharing google forms through email, WhatsApp, and Facebook. The survey included questions on the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of dentists practicing during COVID-19. The data was interpreted by SPSS 24 using a chi-square test, and a value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A considerable number of general dentists (26.9%) and specialists (39.4%) adopted partial suspension of clinics. Restriction's ease allowed 50.2% of the clinicians to resume their duties. 67.9% of the patients were medicated online during the lockdown phase. There was no significant difference regarding years of experience and willingness to treat/care (p-value 0.648). Personal protective equipment (PPE) was readily available for use in public or private practices, and the respondents agreed with its efficacy in protecting the operators. Compliance with PPE wear was 50% in all the respondents. CONCLUSION: The psychosocial repercussion of the pandemic continues to affect dental practices. Our attitude needs to improve as far as PPE is concerned, with regular training workshops and continuous updates of the developing Knowledge on COVID-19.

The impact of COVID-19 on the practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology in the United States and Canada.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the delivery of healthcare, including oral healthcare services. The restrictions imposed for mitigating spread of the virus forced dental practitioners to adopt significant changes in their workflow pattern. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the practice of oral and maxillofacial pathology in two countries in regard to educational activities, and clinical and diagnostic pathology services. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed to oral and maxillofacial pathologists in the United States and Canada. The survey was designed by combining dichotomous, multiple choice, and Likert response scale questions. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed with SPSS software. RESULTS: Most pathologists, at the time of survey completion, were teaching synchronously, primarily with case-based learning and live lectures. During lockdown, 52.4% and 50.0% of those with trainees expected their residents to show up for clinic- and laboratory-related procedures respectively. The pathologists were most concerned for their residents' inadequate clinical exposure, future placement, and face-to-face teaching time. About 89.0% pathologists were able to provide emergent care, with 82.4% and 23.5% having performed telehealth consultations and oral biopsy procedures, respectively. During the lockdown, the pathology laboratories for 90.9% of participants received biopsy specimens that predominantly comprised of potentially malignant or malignant lesions. However, a reduction in the number of biopsy submissions was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Given the challenges of the pandemic, oral and maxillofacial pathologists in the United States and Canada successfully continued their pursuits in education, clinical care, and diagnostic pathology services.

Dilemma in the foreign lands during COVID-19: An outlook of expat health care professionals with a take on a social perspective.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection a global pandemic due to the fast transmission of this disease worldwide. To prevent and slow the transmission of this contagious illness, the public health officials of many affected countries scrambled to introduce measures aimed at controlling its spread. As a result, unprecedented interventions/measures, including strict contact tracing, quarantine of entire towns/cities, closing of borders and travel restrictions, have been implemented by most of the affected countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to share health care professionals' perspectives who are experiencing COVID19 firsthand in a foreign land. In addition, the role of the Saudi governance to combat the current situation is also discussed. DISCUSSION: Personal and previous experiences as related to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) by the authors has been compared to the current situation and how it affected our thoughts and management. A review of the evidence-based literature was conducted to investigate the demographics of the region; and to understand the awareness of the various tools that are available and how they were utilized in the present situation of pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Saudi Arabia has been challenged during the pandemic as are other countries.

Dentists' situation and their needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: an online questionnaire survey.

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, ordinary dental services were sustained in Nepal. Because a dental practice is considered to involve a high risk of infection, the needs of dentists should be identified, and demand-driven support should be provided. The purpose of this study was to investigate the situation and needs of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to guide demand-driven support. First, we investigated how the situation of Nepali dentists differed according to their types of practices between private clinics and university/government hospitals. Second, we assessed the characteristics of dentists demanding four types of support: financial, material, technical, and guidelines/guidance support. METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted between July 28th and August 7th 2020. Closed-ended questions were prepared regarding behavior, material availability, economic and psychological impacts, training, and the main support dentists wanted to receive. The situation of dentists between private clinics and university/government hospitals was determined using a chi-squared test for each variable. To examine the association between the characteristics of dentists and four types of support, multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for each variable. RESULTS: There were 352 dentists (137 males and 215 females) included in the analysis. Private clinic dentists experienced a bigger economic impact and demanded financial support that 45.5% of them did not receive a salary, compared to 18.9% in university/government hospitals. On the contrary, university/government hospitals experienced lack of PPE and demanded material support that 79.8% had personal protective equipment, compared to 92.5% in private clinics. Financial support was demanded significantly more by male than female dentists (ORs = 5.56; 95% CI = 2.96-10.45). Material support was demanded significantly more by dentists who received training regarding COVID-19 management (ORs = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.01-3.81). Technical support was demanded significantly less by male dentists (ORs = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.23-0.83). Guideline/guidance support was demanded significantly more by dentists who answered that Nepal Dental Association provided appropriate support (ORs = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.25-3.91). CONCLUSION: This study articulated the diverse needs of Nepali dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand-driven support should be provided in the future.

COVID-19 Disease in Children: What Dentists Should Know and Do to Prevent Viral Spread. The Italian Point of View.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly across the globe, becoming a major public health challenge not for China only, but also for countries around the world. Despite worldwide efforts to contain viral spread, the outbreak has not been stopped yet. Among healthcare personnel, dentists seem to be at elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19. This risk is even more serious in pediatric dentistry, since affected children, frequently, present an asymptomatic, mild or moderate clinical viral infection and, therefore, they may play a major role in community-based COVID-19 transmission. To date, despite no universal guidelines are available for dental procedures in pediatric dentistry during COVID-19 outbreak, routine dental practice should be postponed and only severe dental emergencies must be treated. In the case of a dental emergency, involving a pediatric patient, dentists should be aware of which recommended management protocol can be adopted during the practice to protect patient health, to safeguard their-self and to prevent viral transmission. The aim of this paper is to provide clinical recommendations, presenting a needed tool for dentists to allow a valid and safe how-to-do protocol. Pediatric dentists should keep a high level of awareness to help patients, minimize risk and prevent viral spread.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on dentists' workforce confidence and workflow.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the US economy and workforce, including marked effects on small businesses. Researchers have evaluated workers' views of financial confidence and advancement, but there has been limited focus on the dental industry. METHODS: To extend investigations to dentistry, the authors used published scales and pretested questions to determine workforce confidence and workflow changes among dentists. Data were evaluated using descriptive and bivariate statistics. In the wake of the pandemic, surveys were distributed to the memberships of the American Dental Association and American Association of Orthodontists (n = 656). RESULTS: Dentists' top concern was increased cost of providing treatment (57.4%; 95% CI, 53.5% to 61.3%), associated with widely adopted workflow changes including reduced patient volumes (66.0%; 95% CI, 62.4% to 69.6%) and increased safety protocols and equipment (health screening: 75.5%; 95% CI, 72.2% to 78.8%; KN/N95 respirators: 76.7%; 95% CI, 73.5% to 80.0%). However, most respondents did not expect their personal or practice finances to be negatively affected after the pandemic, as only 18.5% (95% CI, 15.4% to 21.7%) predicted their practice's gross revenue would decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Dentists were optimistic in the wake of vaccinations and lifting restrictions. Most expected their finances and practice performance to remain the same or grow in the short term and expected long-term improvements postpandemic. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that despite shutdowns and workflow changes, dentists have rebounded financially and anticipate future growth.

Application of recommended preventive measures against COVID-19 could help mitigate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during dental practice: Results from a follow-up survey of French dentists.

BACKGROUND: During the first-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, dentists were considered at high-risk of infection. In France, to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, a nationwide lockdown was enforced, during which dentists suspended their routine clinical activities, working solely on dental emergencies. This measure has had an indisputable mitigating effect on the pandemic. To continue protecting dentists after suspension of nationwide lockdown, implementation of preventive measures was recommended, including adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and room aeration between patients. No study has explored whether implementation of such preventive measures since the end of the first-wave has had an impact on the contamination of dentists. METHODS: An online survey was conducted within a French dentist population between July and September 2020. To explore risk factors associated with COVID-19, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that COVID-19 prevalence among the 3497 respondents was 3.6%. Wearing surgical masks during non-aerosol generating procedures was a risk factor of COVID-19, whereas reducing the number of patients was a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the similar COVID-19 prevalence between dentists and the general population, such data suggest that dentists are not overexposed in their work environment when adequate preventive measures are applied. IMPACT: Dentists should wear specific PPE (FFP2, FFP3 or (K)N95 masks) including during non-aerosol generating procedures and reduce the number of patients to allow proper implementation of disinfection and aeration procedures. Considering the similarities between COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections, such preventive measures may also be of interest to limit emerging variants spread as well as seasonal viral outbreaks.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices among dental practitioners on methods of infection control while carrying out dental procedures during novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: dental procedures produce bio-aerosols that can carry the highly contagious COVID-19 virus. Hence, the entire dental care team has to follow the current COVID-19 related infection control protocols. The study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with infection control methods during dental procedures among dental practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. METHODS: the online questionnaire consisted of four sections namely, demographic details, eight questions on knowledge, four questions on attitude and eight questions on the practice of dentists during COVID-19 pandemic. One point was attributed for a correct response and zero point for an incorrect response. The study used descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models in Jamovi 1.8.1 to establish relationships between knowledge, attitude, and practices among dental professionals and their demographic characteristics. RESULTS: among 384 dentists, 294 (76.6%) were aware of the hand hygiene methods, 372 dentists (96.9%) were aware of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), 343 dentists (89.3%) recorded the body temperature of the patients. One hundred and thirty eight (138) dentists (35.9%) did not use rubber dam and 158 dentists (41.1%) were not aware of the four-handed dentistry. Among the study participants, 57.8% displayed adequate knowledge, 63.8% possessed good attitude and 93.5% followed good practices on COVID-19 appropriate infection control measures during dental procedures. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were found to be 6.61, 2.04, and 3.38 respectively. Based on multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, it is observed that males (aOR: 0.55, 95% CI 0.35-0.87; p=0.011) have a lower likelihood of having a good knowledge when compared with females after adjusting for the other independent variables in the model. Also, individuals with higher qualifications (aOR: 0.57, 95% CI 0.36-0.92; p=0.022) appear to have lower likelihood of having good knowledge on COVID-19 infection control methods during dental procedure. CONCLUSION: the study concludes that participants possess sound knowledge, attitude and practice on hand hygiene, PPE, patient triage and waiting area modifications at the workplace. However, poor response was noted on the use of rubber dam, remote telephonic screening and four-handed dentistry practice.

COVID-19 pandemic impact on dentists in Latin America's epicenter: São-Paulo, Brazil.

The state of São Paulo, Brazil, where more than 94.000 dentists are currently registered, has become the epicenter of COVID-19 in Latin America. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dentists in this state. A semi-structured questionnaire was sent via e-mail to 93.280 dentists with active registration in the Dental Council of São Paulo (CROSP). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic was assessed through questions related to demographic, socioeconomic, dental practice characteristics and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between all the variables (p<0.05). Over 8 days, 2113 responses were received. Only 26.52% of the sample reported a low-income reduction (from 0-10%), while the majority of dentists reported a more negative financial impact, 35.6% with a reduction of more than 50% of their monthly income. Dentists who worked in the private sector and at the capital had a greater financial impact when compared to those of the public sector and countryside of the state (p<0.05). Furthermore, about 83% reported not having received any specific training to control the transmission of coronavirus in the health area. This study provides evidence of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the routine of dentists in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Hopefully, this study will help dental and other health care professionals to better understand the consequences of disease in dental settings and strengthen preparedness throughout the dental health care system.

Work-life balance amongst dental professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic-A structural equation modelling approach.

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in 2019, has shocked the entire world. As an effort to control the disease spread, the Indian government declared a nationwide lockdown on March 25th, 2020. As dental treatment was considered high risk in the spread of COVID-19, dentistry became one of the most vulnerable professions during this time. Dental professionals had to face job layoffs, salary cuts in professional colleges, closure of private clinics resulting in huge psychological, moral, and financial crises. Studies during the previous and present pandemics have shown mental issues among health care workers necessitating institutional reforms, along with early care and support. A balance in the work-life amongst professionals is the key to better efficiency and, was majorly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown due to sudden unexpected changes. Hence this study was conducted to understand the changes they underwent both at home and professional front with a hypothesis that physical and mental health, activities, relationship status, and workplace influence the work-life balance. METHODS: A pre-validated questionnaire survey was done on dentists across India. Structural Equation Modelling and path analysis were applied to the data collected. RESULTS: The results of the study supported the hypothesis that factors like physical and mental health, activities, relationship status, and workplace influenced the work-life balance directly. A significant imbalance was seen amongst the female dentists. CONCLUSION: The present study proved the unpreparedness among dental professionals. Hence an evolutionary phase in every field with better working protocols, robust mental health support, and a focus on strategies to face future such emergencies is required.

Attitude and acceptance of Covid-19 vaccine amongst medical and dental fraternity - a questionnaire survey.

BACKGROUND: The second wave of Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2) is proving more disastrous than the first because of the new mutant stains. Under these circumstances, vaccination is the only effective solution that can save millions of lives across the globe. OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to assess the attitude and acceptance/willingness of health care professionals (medical and dental) towards COVID-19 vaccine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire survey was conducted among medical and dental professionals working in different hospitals of two states of India. A total of 520 subjects constituted the final sample size. A self-constructed questionnaire (divided into 2 parts) containing 12 questions was administered to obtain information from the subjects regarding their attitude and willingness towards COVID 19 vaccine. Statistical analysis was done using chi-square test and multiple liner regression analysis. Odds ratio with 95% CI were also generated. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. RESULTS: Majority of the subjects (67% of dental and 73% of medical) had full confidence on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine. Willingness to get vaccinated was shown by 63% of subjects and 65% had positive attitude towards vaccine. Some subjects (45.5% dental and 48.4% medical) showed concern regarding unforeseen effects of the vaccine. Willingness to get vaccinated was 3.45 higher in subjects who were involved in COVID duties. Subjects giving less preference to natural immunity over vaccine showed more willingness (OR: 2.98) towards getting the vaccine. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study showed that acceptance and attitude of subjects regarding COVID 19 vaccine was suboptimal as there were various factors which contributed towards subjects' hesitancy to get vaccinated. There is an utmost need to address various issues regarding vaccine safety to promote high uptake.

Knowledge, awareness, attitude and practice of dental practitioners regarding Covid-19 pandemic and infection control: a cross sectional study in Kolkata metropolitan region.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with more than 53,973 people affected in West Bengal state of India. OBJECTIVES: The aim of present study was to assess the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) of dental practitioners in Kolkata city, West Bengal, India regarding COVID-2019 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Online questionnaire was distributed among dentists across West Bengal city, using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling. The questionnaire had 17 questions: (1) Section A was 'General section' which comprised of socio-demographic and professional details of the subjects; and (2) Section B comprised of 14 questions depicting knowledge, awareness attitude and practice regarding COVID-19. The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis with level of significance at p=0.05. The descriptive statistical analysis was done to compute frequency and percentages. Intergroup comparison was determined by Chi-square statistical analysis to determine the level of significance for responses of each question. RESULTS: Around 70.4% undergraduates participated in the study. Only 4.3% showed accurate knowledge with respect to the incubation period of coronavirus. Coughing and sneezing was considered to be the most common mode of transmission. 98.9% of dentists considered fever to be the characteristic symptom of the disease. Hand washing and alcohol rubs was advocated by 99.5% of the dentist. Emergency procedures were considered necessary by 90.8% dentists. 75.1% of dentists agree that their practice has been affected by the pandemic. CONCLUSION: A constant update regarding COVID-19 should be made available to dental health care professionals through webinars, seminars, discussions and articles. Dentists should keep themselves updated and help to fight against this pandemic.