Infection Control in Prosthodontic Procedures in COVID 19 - A Questionnaire Study among the Dental Professionals

Abstract

Background and objectives:The fast and widely spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a major reason of concern for the dental professionals. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, awareness & attitude of dental professionals and post-graduate students  regarding the COVID-19 disease and related infection control practices in prosthodontics.

Materials and methods A total of 370 responders  completed a questionnaire based survey on the awareness, knowledge, and infection control practices related to COVID-19 infection in the dental clinics. The questionnaire was framed from the current interim guidance and information for general & dentalhealthcarepractitioners,providedbytheUSCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)andWHO guidelinesforinfectioncontrolinCOVID-19.Aconvenientsamplingmethodwasusedforcollectingthedata& the distribution of responses was presented in the form of tables, bar-graphs and pie-charts. Descriptive statistics wereperformedforthreegroups,basedonthepercentageofappropriateresponses.Individualcomparisonswere done using the Chi-Square test for the percentage of appropriateresponses.

Results The samples are divided into three groups: Group-1 consists of BDS dentists, Group-2 consists of MDS dentistsandGroup-3 consistsofPost-Graduates. Thetotalnumberof BDSincludedinthestudywere133,MDS were128andPost-graduateswere109,i.e370intotal.Ahigherpercentageofcorrectresponseswerefrompost- graduate students and the MDS professionals and the lowest was from BDS dentalprofessionals.

Conclusion There is a crucial need for periodic educational interventions, webinars and training programs on infection control in prosthodontic procedures, during COVID-19.