Dental care during COVID‐19 pandemic: Follow‐up survey of experts' opinion

• Published in: Clinical Oral Implants Research 2021-10, Vol.32 (S21), p.342-352
• Main Authors: Brunello, Giulia, Gurzawska‐Comis, Katarzyna, Becker, Kathrin, Becker, Jürgen, Sivolella, Stefano, Schwarz, Frank, Klinge, Björn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; COVID-19 pandemic; Data collection; Dental care; Dental materials; Dentistry; expert opinion; Goggles; infection control and prevention; Maxillofacial; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mouthwashes; Pandemics; Patients; Personal protective equipment; Polls & surveys; Privacy; Protective equipment; Questionnaires; Review; Risk; surveys and questionnaire; The 6th EAO Consensus Conference 2021
• ISSN: 0905-7161; 1600-0501; 1600-0501
• DOI: 10.1111/clr.13783

Objectives The purpose of the present survey is to give an update of European experts' opinion on infection control and prevention in dentistry during second wave of pandemic. The secondary aim was to analyze how experts' opinion changed in the light of the new scientific evidence since the first wave. Material & Methods An anonymous online 14‐item questionnaire was sent to a total of 27 leading academic experts in Oral (and Maxillofacial) Surgery from different European countries, who had completed a previous survey in April‐May 2020. The questionnaire covered the topics of dental setting safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), and patient‐related measures to minimize transmission risk. Data collection took place in November‐February 2020/21. Results 26 experts participated in the follow‐up survey. The overall transmission risk in dental settings was scored significantly lower compared to the initial survey (p