Spanish Dentists’ Awareness, Knowledge, and Practice Regarding COVID-19: A Multiple Regression Analysis

Abstract

\n Introduction\n During the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Spain had the highest mortality rate and the second highest infection rate.\n \n Objetive\n To analyze the occupational situation of dentists, hygienists and dental auxiliary staff, during the peak of the pandemic, after the state of alarm was declared in Spain, when the state of alarm was declared. In addition, detect a possible relationship between the geographical distribution of infected people and the availability of individual protection systems.\n \n Material & Methods\n A cross-sectional questionnaire was answered by 6,470 dentists and dental staff via WhatsApp and social media.\n \n \n Results\n One in four dental professionals ceased working completely. Of those that kept working, 25.28% of dentists and 19.61% of Hygienist-auxiliary were equipped with FFP2 masks (p<0.05), and 61,8% complied with the official protection recommendations set by the General Council of Dentists of Spain. Nearly 59,4% of respondents had symptoms, while only 1.5% of dentists were tested, with 14% of dentists being in isolation at the time of responding. Overall, it is suggested that 10% of dental professionals may have been in direct contact with coronavirus.\n \n Conclusions\n Direct contact of Spanish dental health professionals with SARS CoV-2 has been high during the most active phase of the pandemic. Dental professionals did not have the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to care for patients, a situation that justified the reduction in scheduled dental care, with only emergencies being treated. The Spanish geographical regions with the highest number of contagions had the least amount of individual protective resources (FFP2+FFP3 masks).\n