Awareness of dental practitioners and intern dental practitioners in Northern Cyprus towards pandemic of SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the perception, attitude, and awareness of dental practitioners (DPs) and intern DPs towards SARS-COV-2 by comparing the awareness-attitude score (AAS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was generated in Google Forms. An invitation email was sent to all DPs in Northern Cyprus (n = 270) and intern DPs at Near East University (n = 200). Data were blindly collected from March 2020 to May 2020. Participants received 1 point for each correct answer. By adding up all collected points, an AAS was determined. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The questionnaire was answered by 228 DPs (84% response-rate). No statistically significant difference was detected between gender-groups in terms of AAS (P = 0.301). A significant difference was detected between occupation groups in terms of AAS (P = 0.006), and of these, dentist-academician-group exhibited superior score. Other tested variables (specialty, way of occupation, place of occupation, and duration of occupation) had no influence on the AAS (P > 0.05). Relation between age and AAS was statistically significant (P = 0.054, Spearmen Correlation). Increasing age increases AAS as linear relation was detected between these variables (P = 0.011, Linear Regression). The questionnaire was also answered by 182 intern DPs (91% response-rate). No significant difference was detected between gender-groups (P = 0.378). Correlation was insignificant between age and AAS (P = 0.933). CONCLUSIONS: Occupation is the only variable influencing AAS of DPs. Academicians exhibited superior knowledge regarding SARS-CoV-2. The AASs of DPs and intern DPs were analogous.