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

Sotomayor-Castillo, Cristina; Li, Cecilia; Kaufman-Francis, Keren; Nahidi, Shizar; Walsh, Laurence J.; Liberali, Sharon AC.; Irving, Eithne; Holden, Alexander C.L.; Shaban, Ramon Z.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a global health crisis. Close contact with the mucous membranes and respiratory secretions of patients and aerosol-generating procedures renders dentists and other oral health professionals at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. We examined dentists’ knowledge, preparedness, and experiences of managing COVID-19 in Australia. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of dentists with a current membership with The Australian Dental Association (ADA) was conducted between March and April 2021. RESULTS: Of the 368 survey responses, most dentists (72.3%) reported having a good level of knowledge about COVID-19, with most visiting the ADA Federal COVID-19 (74.7%) and state/territory department of health websites (62.8%), respectively to source up-to-date information. Most dentists (87.6%) felt prepared to manage COVID-19 into the future, although 66% reported not receiving training or certification in the use of PPE. Over half (58.7%) reported not being concerned about contracting SARS-CoV-2 at work, with some (28.9%, n=98/339) feeling more stressed than usual and having heavier workloads. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 had significant impact in oral healthcare in Australia. Dentistry has adapted to the varied challenges raised by the pandemic. Comprehensive training and detailed guidelines were fundamental for successful patient management during the COVID-19 outbreak.