Open AccessFuture Implications of COVID-19 on Pediatric Dental Settings: A Cross-sectional Study
Author(s) -
Gyanendra Kumar,
Ferah Rehman,
Jameela Abdul Haq
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of oral health and community dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2230-7389
pISSN - 0973-7316
DOI - 10.5005/jp-journals-10062-0069
Subject(s) - covid-19 , cross sectional study , medicine , family medicine , dental practice , clinical practice , infection control , pandemic , oral health , outbreak , environmental health , dentistry , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , intensive care medicine , pathology , virology
The whole world is amidst coronavirus outbreak which originated in Wuhan City, China, in the late December 2019. Coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person through direct or indirect contact or through aerosols generated during various medical and dental procedures. This has significant impact on dental health professionals who are at risk of infection. The purpose of this study is to assess the future impact of “coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)” on pediatric dental settings. Materials and methods A self-administered questionnaire was sent to various pediatric dentists across the globe through e-mail, which assessed their current state of mind and future preparation for practice. The collected data were analyzed, and percentage analysis was used to describe the data. Results The majority of study subjects (97%) believed that COVID-19 would affect the dental practice. In all, 86.1% would defer dental treatment to suspicious patients, and 91.5% would look for COVID-19 signs and symptoms after resuming practice. In all, 96.4% of professionals would follow universal precautions of infection control for every patient, and 98.8% would like World Health Organization (WHO) to issue guidelines for dental practitioners. Conclusion Dental health professionals are well informed about COVID-19 and are preparing themselves for future practice using WHO and other Dental Associations guidelines. How to cite this article Kumar G, Rehman F, Haq JA. Future Implications of COVID-19 on Pediatric Dental Settings: A Cross-sectional Study. J Oral Health Comm Dent 2020;14(2):39–43.