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. 2024 Jun 10;12(12):1169.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare12121169.

Management of SARS-CoV-2 Prevention Methods in Dental Offices-A Cross-Sectional Study in Bucharest, Romania

Mihnea Ioan Nicolescu  1   2 , Oana Irina Lupu  3 , Raluca Ștefania Georgescu  4 , Mihai Săndulescu  5 , Cristian Funieru  6
Affiliations

Management of SARS-CoV-2 Prevention Methods in Dental Offices-A Cross-Sectional Study in Bucharest, Romania

Mihnea Ioan Nicolescu et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

We compared the managing of prevention methods for SARS-CoV-2 infections in dental offices before and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to find out the varieties of infection prevention methods used by dentists before and during the pandemic and compare them. We designed a digital transversal questionnaire with 15 closed questions that was sent to 150 dentists in Bucharest, Romania. We received n = 112 valid answers during July-August 2021 from dentists of all age groups (25-60 years), with a sex ratio of 0.36, which agreed to anonymously participate in this study. The results showed an increase in types and amount of personal protection equipment (i.e., ocular/facial protection, supplemental gown, and upgrading the FFP1 masks to FFP2 or FFP3). Ocular protection showed statistical significance by gender but not by age group. Vaccination rate against SARS-CoV-2 was at 80% of the participant dentists at the time of the survey and had statistical significance. However, vaccination status of the patients did not alter dentists' protection protocol.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; PPE; digital questionnaire; preventive dentistry.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Gender distribution on age groups of participants.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Type of mask used before (top row) and during (bottom row) SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, split on gender (A,C) and age group (B,D) distribution. Note: multiple choices were allowed.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Change in mask type used before and during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. (absolute numbers). Note: multiple choices were allowed.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Usage of ocular/facial PPE before SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. (A) age group distribution; (B) relation with situations when mask was also worn. Note: AGM = aerosol-generating maneuvers; “patient contagious” = patient who self-declared a risk of contagion (e.g., hepatitis B).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Usage of disposable garment over the surgical gown before SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. (A) age group distribution; (B) relation with situations when mask was also worn. Note: AGM = aerosol-generating maneuvers; “patient contagious” = patient who self-declared a risk of contagion (e.g., hepatitis B).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Usage of disposable garment over the surgical gown during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. (A) overall; (B) relation with the answers regarding the pre-pandemic situation. Note: AGM = aerosol-generating maneuvers.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Dentists’ own assessment regarding the increase in time for washing hands (A) and of thoroughness for surfaces disinfection (B) after the debut of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 status among the interviewed dentists (August 2021) cross-analyzed with the type of mask worn before (top) and after (bottom) the debut of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
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