Dentistry during COVID-19: patients' knowledge and satisfaction toward health protocols COVID-19 during dental treatment

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as an infectious disease primarily spreading through droplet infection in dental treatment. Patient satisfaction is an indicator of healthcare quality service. Quality of healthcare service and patient satisfaction has been affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic. This study aims to assess the knowledge and satisfaction toward health protocols COVID-19 during dental treatment among dental patients. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 270 dental patients using a self‑designed questionnaire consisting of knowledge and satisfaction about health protocols COVID-19 during dental treatment through a random sampling technique. Data were imported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to identify the factors associated with their knowledge and satisfaction. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistical significance. Results Totally, 270 dental patients with mean age of 37.6 ± 6.7 years participated in the study. The mean knowledge score was 36.7 ± 3.5, as considerable number of participants were unaware about the risk associated with dental treatment as well as restrictions imposed on dental procedures. About 18% of participants experienced one or other form of dental complaints during the lockdown period. The overall level of patient satisfaction was 44.6%. Conclusion It can be concluded that, public knowledge is to be improved about risk of virus transmission that can be related with dental treatment and also people should be encouraged to use virtual facilities, such as teledentistry, so that no dental emergencies is left untreated during the pandemic time. In addition, the level of satisfaction was in a medium level for dental patients in the study area. Specifically, we deduced from the results that social/physical distancing measures are one of the mechanisms to decrease the fear of exposure to the COVID-19.

A dataset for dental anxiety and psychological distress in 1550 patients visiting dental clinics

Objectives Information was collected to identify anxiety in dental patients visiting a dental clinic using the Dental Anxiety Scale, their level of psychological distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and identifying a correlation between these groups as well as the gender and age. Data description This data contains a set of 1550 patients’ answers to questionnaires taken before dental treatment in a dental clinic. It is divided into male and female patients as well as according to their age. The level of Dental Anxiety can be interpreted by answers chosen in the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the level of psychological distress by answers chosen in the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). This dataset should help to encourage more research in the field of dental anxiety and we hope to see more comparisons with our data in the future or in different regions of the world.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Dental Patients About Cross-Infection and Infection Control

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the patient’s knowledge, attitude, and practice of cross-infection control in dentistry. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, Trakya University. In this study, 250 patients (134 female and 116 male) aged 18 years and older (35.5±13.9) participated and data were collected using a questionnaire containing questions to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cross-infection and infection control. Required personal and socio-demographic data were obtained. A chi-square test was conducted for categorical variables. Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare questionnaire scores (p <0.05). Results: Most of the participants (30.5%) reported that their sources of information on dental infection control were social media. Knowledge scores of females were statistically significantly higher than males (p=0.005) and participants living in the city were significantly higher than those living in the town (p=0.015). Knowledge scores of health-care workers were significantly higher than both other workers and unemployed/students (p=0.001, p=0.004, respectively). Regarding participants’ attitudes and practices, only 29.2% of the participants questioned the dentists about the contagious disease, and only 36% asked about the sterilization method of the dental instruments. Most of the participants perceived that wearing gloves, masks, eyewear, and face shield would protect both patients and dentists. Conclusion: Participants in this study seem to have a satisfactory level of knowledge about cross-infection and infection control methods in the nowadays’ pandemic condition. However, dental health professionals should make additional efforts to educate and encourage dental patients.

KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF INFORMED CONSENT AMONG DENTAL PATIENTS

Obtaining informed consent from the patient is fundamental. The consent document should be in local language and should be simple and easy to understand. The awareness and knowledge on informed consent among both patients and the physician is essential in order to practice an efficient process as it is a continuous, two- way communication where transparency and partnership plays an important role.This study was undertaken to examine patients knowledge and awareness about informed consent process. 100 patients attending the Out Patient department were interviewed through questionnaire to assess the awareness and knowledge of the informed consent process. The present study revealed the percentage of patients who were aware of the informed consent process and the information provided in it.

CORRELATION OF PANORAMIC RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS AND CLINICAL FINDINGS OF DENTAL PATIENTS AT MOI TEACHING AND REFERRAL HOSPITAL, KENYA

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation of panoramic radiographic findings and clinical findings among dental patients at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Kenya. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based cross sectional study conducted at the Radiology and Imaging department and dental department at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital from September, 2019 to June, 2020. A total of 93 consenting patients were enrolled using systematic random sampling. Standard chart review forms were administered, and clinical examination findings documented. Panoramic radiograph findings were then discussed with a consultant radiologists and findings recorded. Descriptive statistics were carried out. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and proportions, and reported in tables. Numerical variables were summarized as median and interquartile ranges. Cross tabulation was done to compare clinical examination and panoramic radiograph findings where total raw agreement was reported as proportions. Results: 93 patients whose ages ranged from 5-73 years with a mean of 29 years were included into the study. Radiographic features of dental caries were present in 54% of panoramic radiographs compared to clinical examination (50.5%) while 23.7% of radiographs revealed impacted teeth compared to clinical examination (19.4%). Radiographic features of periodontitis were observed in 14% compared to clinical examination (16.1%). Fractures (12.9%) were observed radiographically compared to (10.7%) clinically. Periapical lesions (8.6%) were observed radiographically compared to clinical examination (6.4%). Temporo-mandibular disorder (6.5%) were observed both on radiographs and clinical examination. Radiographic features of missing teeth (3.2%) were observed compared to clinical examination (1.1%) while only 1.1% of malpositioned teeth were observed radiographically compared to clinical examination (2.2%). Notably, mandibular lesions (3.2%) and nasal congestion (14%) were only discovered radiographically. The overall raw agreement between panoramic radiograph and clinical examination was 75.3% (70/93) with a p value of less than 0.001. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that all patients presenting with dental conditions should be done panoramic radiograph to improve diagnosis. Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Ministry of Health to consider routine panoramic radiographs in the guidelines for the assessment of dental patients in all the hospitals offering, dental health services

Condução de manejo de comportamento associadas a terapias integrativas em pacientes odontopediátricos: Revisão de literatura / Conducting association treatment associated with integrative therapies in pediatric dental patients: Literature review

O objetivo deste artigo foi dispor aos profissionais conhecimento e embasamento sobre o uso de terapias integrativas em controle de comportamento em pacientes odontopediátricos. Trata-se de uma revisão de literatura de cunho narrativo e caráter exploratório que será fundamentado na coleta de artigos científicos nas principais bases de dados: Scielo, Lilacs, PubMed e Google Acadêmico. Buscou-se contribuir cientificamente com o conhecimento a fim de empregar corretamente a condução de manejo com terapias integrativas mais adequadas a cada situação no atendimento clínico odontopediátrico. Conclui-se que o conhecimento técnico e científico do manejo do comportamento infantil e das terapias integrativas no atendimento odontológico infantil é fundamental em busca de desenvolvimento físico e emocional de modo satisfatório. ---The aim of this article was to provide professionals with knowledge and foundation on the use of integrative therapies in behavior control in pediatric dental patients. This is a literature review of a narrative and exploratory nature that will be based on the collection of scientific articles in the main databases: Scielo, Lilacs, PubMed and Academic Google. We sought to contribute scientifically with knowledge in order to correctly employ the management of the most appropriate integrative therapies for each situation in pediatric clinical care. It is concluded that technical and scientific knowledge of the management of child behavior and integrative therapies in child dental care is essential in the search for satisfactory physical and emotional development.

Evaluation of Cross Infection Control in Dentistry; A Patients’ Perception Study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the perception of patients visiting a dental OPD in Karachi regarding cross infection control measures that should be taken in dental practice. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the OPD of Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine from January to August 2020. A total of 546 patients aged 20-75 years of either gender coming for routine dental check-ups were included in the study using non-probability convenience sampling. A well-structured and validated questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of patients regarding cross infection measures that should be present in dental practices. SPSS-25 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics was used to calculate frequency and percentage of qualitative (gender, socioeconomic and education status, knowledge attitude and practice levels of patients) and quantitative variables (age groups). Chi-square test was used to detect the relation of patient's knowledge levels with potential factors like the age groups, gender, socioeconomic and education status. The p-value of (< 0.05) was considered as significant. RESULTS: Out of the total participants, 79.1% had good knowledge about cross infection control measures in dental practice. Majority of the patients (84.6%) agreed that dentists should wear gloves during treatment, though majority were of the opinion that a dentist can treat several patients with the same set of gloves. About 4.9% of the patients said that they ask the dentist to wear face mask and gloves while treating them, and only 3.3% said that they ask the dentist about sterilization of instruments. The knowledge level of patients showed variation with their education status but not with respect to socioeconomic status, age and gender. CONCLUSION: Although overall the patients visiting dental clinics had good perception and showed positive attitudes towards cross infection control, the dental health practitioners need to disseminate basic technical information about the infection-control practices required for safe dental practice to dental patients and the community at large. KEYWORDS: cross infection, knowledge, dentist, dental patients, perception