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. 2020 Sep;9(3):123-128.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejwf.2020.07.001. Epub 2020 Aug 5.

Perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthodontic practice by orthodontists and orthodontic residents in Nigeria

Ikenna Gerald Isiekwe  1 , Tope Emmanuel Adeyemi  2 , Elfleda Angelina Aikins  3 , Onyinye Dorothy Umeh  4
Affiliations

Perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthodontic practice by orthodontists and orthodontic residents in Nigeria

Ikenna Gerald Isiekwe et al. J World Fed Orthod. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had far-reaching effects on orthodontic care delivery worldwide. This study aimed to assess the impacts of the pandemic on orthodontists and orthodontic residents in Nigeria.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among consenting orthodontists and orthodontic residents. The respondents were contacted through the WhatsApp group of the Nigerian Association of Orthodontists to fill the self-administered online questionnaires (Google forms). The questionnaire had two sections: A, Sociodemographics; B, Perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive statistics were used to compute mean and standard deviation and chi-square for association. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results: This study population comprised 98 people; however, only 73 participants responded, which represented a response rate of 74.5%. Approximately 60% (44) of the respondents thought that the COVID-19 pandemic would lead to a reduction in the number of orthodontic patients in the future, whereas almost all the respondents reported that it would affect their future practice of orthodontics. Most of the respondents (63.0%) reported that the pandemic had recorded a moderate to severe negative economic impact on them. Significant gender differences were recorded, in the social life of respondents, in addition to economic and psychosocial effects.

Conclusions: Almost all respondents reported that they would change their future practice of orthodontics, particularly with respect to placing a greater emphasis on infection control. Most of the respondents reported perceived economic, psychosocial, and social impacts due to the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Nigeria; Orthodontic practice; Perceived impact.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Effect of COVID-19 on orthodontic practice.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Emergency orthodontic treatment provide during COVID-19 pandemic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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