Abstract

COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019, knowledge, attitude, oral pathologists

Author(s):Niharika Mistry*, Suchitra Gosavi, Akshay Dhobley and Dipak Ghatage

Background: COVID-19 has surged up as one of the deadliest crisis across the world and stranded the normal human life bringing it to a standstill. During this crisis, dental professionals, unlike others, have faced difficult times both in terms of delivery of safe dental healthcare and receiving a trustworthy response from the patients.

Aims and objectives: This systematic review aims to put forth the knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists during COVID-19, to help government and public bodies devise guidelines if required for the betterment of the situation.

Materials and methods: After a thorough literature search of the relevant articles, 6 cross-sectional studies were included in the review.

Results: It was observed that highest knowledge proportion (90%) and attitude/awareness proportion (90%) was found in a multinational study, however, the practice and precautionary measures undertaken by the dentists in the study were not satisfactory. Furthermore, despite poor knowledge and not very acceptable level of attitude/awareness among the Turkish and the Jordanian dentists, it was found that they adopted the most acceptable practice/precautionary measures. On the other hand, despite an acceptable level of attitude/awareness of the dentists in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India, toward the COVID-19 situation, they, along with a poor knowledge, exhibited the least acceptable practice/precautionary approaches.

Conclusion: The authors of all the studies included in the review reported notable deficiencies in the knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists during COVID-19 and opined that national and international guidelines should be sent by the regional and national dental associations to all registered dentists to deal with the pandemic.

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