How Dentists Face the COVID-19 in Mexico: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: on 7 January 2020, a new type of coronavirus was isolated, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2), the organism causing the outbreak that has affected the lives of all humans and has modified the rules of coexistence around the world. In Mexico, from 3 January 2020 to 9 January 2021, there have been 1439, 569 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 131,031 deaths. The World Health Organization reported that Mexico was ranked twelfth, in terms of confirmed cases of COVID-19 by country. Aim: the objective of this study was to determine what modifications dentists from the Mexican Republic have made to their dental practice during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Methods: the study was conducted based on a questionnaire to evaluate the dentists’ response and knowledge on the modifications in their dental practice to combat the new coronavirus’s cross-transmission. The questionnaire was piloted before it was distributed. The questionnaire was disseminated through the social network Facebook. The questionnaire was distributed to groups of dentists on Facebook, in each of the Mexican Republic states. The survey was carried out during June 2020. Results and Conclusions: from the 32 states of the Mexican Republic, 29 participated with at least one respondent. The results of the applied survey suggest that dentists, at least the population of surveyed ones, have proper knowledge of detection methods of patients suspected of COVID-19, preventive measures that must be applied in the dental office to decrease the risk of infection, and the appropriate procedures and solutions for dental office disinfection.

Australian dentists’ knowledge, preparedness, and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Our study was carried out in March – April 2021, and the early provision of resources and guidance by the ADA could explain why most respondents had 'good to very good’ knowledge of COVID-19. This finding is consistent with international studies 9 , 15 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , where it has been reported that dentists have a good command of COVID-19 knowledge. Only one study from Pakistan has reported insufficient knowledge among dentists, particularly regarding fundamental COVID-19 disinfection protocols, despite available guidelines.…”

“… 13 Such measures have included triage and screening of patients for COVID-19, additional infection prevention and control measures, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). 14 , 15 , 16 , 17…”

“We will have to learn to live with it”: Australian dentists’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Like other frontline healthcare workers, a major challenge faced by dentists was having to adjust their services and workflows to ensure patient safety and minimise risk of transmission [ [9] , [10] , [11] ]. They have introduced various enhanced infection prevention and control (IPC) practices to their workplaces, including triage/screening of patients for COVID-19, regular disinfection of equipment and surfaces, performing hand hygiene, and use of personal protective equipment [ [12] , [13] , [14] , [15] ]. Studies have reported anxiety amongst dentists regarding the risks of contracting SARS-CoV-2 and passing the infection to household members [ 9 , 16 , 17 ].…”

The Relationship between Fear of Infection and Insomnia among Dentists from Oradea Metropolitan Area during the Outbreak of Sars-CoV-2 Pandemic

“…The authors found that only 12.3% of participants could obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) including FFP2 masks, and dentists registered important economic losses due to the interruption of their activity. Casillas Santana et al [ 6 ] showed that only a small percentage of Mexican dentists used protective masks and a large majority had to change disinfection rules between appointments to ensure a safe environment for patients. Consolo et al [ 7 ] found that dentists from northern Italy reported feelings of concern (70.2%), anxiety (46.4%) and fear (42.4%) and most of them (89.6%) mentioned increased concerns about their professional future.…”

“…In the context of the coronavirus-19 pandemic, the impact on mental health is just at the beginning. Studies have identified the influence of the pandemic on the psychological, physical, social, and financial status as an acute reaction [ 6 , 8 , 14 ].…”