Knowledge and perception regarding oral manifestations of COVID-19 among the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Vishnu Dental College—a questionnaire based study

Background: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and its consequences demonstrate that it is a substantial global health threat with symptoms ranging from mild flu to severe pneumonia. The objective of this study was to assess Indian dental school undergraduate and postgraduate students' knowledge and perception of the oral symptoms present in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Dental students were compared for knowledge and perceptions regarding oral manifestations of COVID-19 according to their academic, gender and age. The questionnaire was broken into three parts and comprised 12 questions about oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients' knowledge and perception. Each participant received a WhatsApp message with a shareable Google Drive link. After gathering data, the Pearson Chi-Square test was used to do statistical analysis. Results: This questionnaire survey was completed by 380 dental students. Significant differences were obtained except for one question about knowledge and perception related questions addressing oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients. Only the knowledge-related questions about oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients showed significant differences when compared to perception related questions when compared to gender-related replies. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that dental students have knowledge of identifying the oral manifestations in COVID-19 infected people, and emphasized the importance of every dental student in identifying oral manifestations and relating these manifestations to the severity of COVID-19 infection in order to preserve patients' oral and overall health. © Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine.

Awareness and Pragmatic Use of Respirators among Dental Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

Aim: This cross-sectional study intends to assess dental healthcare professionals' (DHCPs) knowledge and awareness of the proper use and reuse of respirators. Materials and methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding the use of respirators with the primary objective of cognizance regarding fit testing, use, reuse, and reprocessing. A total of 478 dental professionals, including 192 postgraduate (PG) students, 176 interns, and 110 teaching faculty, participated in the survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A cumulative assessment revealed that 56.9% of dental professionals signed in to use level III masks and 29.3% for N95/KN95 respirators. Amongst those individuals using respirators, only 2.9% have got fit testing done. 92.1% (n = 440) were clueless about the various fit testing methods. 75.7% of DHCPs chose rotation base reuse of respirators rather than extended use of respirators. Conclusion: Clear evidence of incognizance among dental professionals regarding respirator use may put the health care professional at risk of infection. The incorporation of respirator training in infection prevention and control programs should be a prerequisite for preventing cross-infection. Clinical significance: There is a definite need for regular training and educational programs among DHCPs on various infection control protocols with the incorporation of respirator training and the terms of use of the respirator. © The Author(s).