The preventive measures adopted during dental practice by the dentists in a low-income country to prevent the transmission of COVID-19: A questionnaire-based survey

Abstract

Objectives: A novel coronavirus was first proclaimed in Hubei province, China, 213 countries worldwide also became an epicenter of the virus until June 17, 2020. The dental team has a high risk of infection as a result of the specificity of their procedures. The aim of this questionnaire was to estimate the preventive measures and the awareness methods that may be adopted by the dentists to prevent or reduce the transmission of COIVD-19. Material and Methods: The questionnaire was an electronic survey contained 23 questions, which were designed based on the instruction given for dental setting by CDC during COVID-19 pandemic; the respondents in this study were dental practitioners in Syria. Results: A total of 1013 dentists have responded to this survey 61% of the participants treated only the emergent treatment, 84% of them wear facial masks, while the prevalence for other protective equipment was low. The majority of the participants schedule the appointments as there is only one patient in the waiting room. More than half of the dentists sterilize the patients’ hands before and after the dental treatment, and 59% of them choose 70% ethyl alcohol as a disinfectant. Most of the respondents use dental mouthwashes before the initiation of the treatment. Almost three-quarters of the dentists use high vacuum. Only 15% of dentists sterilize the dental handpieces in the autoclaves after each patient. Most of dentists educate their patients about preventive methods. Conclusion: Based on these results, the Syrian dentists should take more strict measures during dental practice.