Abstract
Aim: The purpose of our research was to assess the knowledge and awareness regarding infection control practice against coronavirus infection in various dental clinics in Saudi Arabia.
 Methodology: A descriptive survey was conducted amongst 200 dentists. The study was conceptualised in riyadh elm university, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and inlcuded dentists from various dental clinics across kingdom of saudi arabia in the month of november,2020. A questionnaire consisting of 12 questions was distributed, based upon knowledge of COVID-19, transmission as well as prevention strategies that can be implemented in dental clinics for stopping the chain of outbreak of this pandemic. The data was analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics using SPSS 25 software.
 Results: 71% of study participants felt the need for using N-95 masks routinely during patient treatment. An astounding number of participants (92%), believed that there have been significant changes in infection control after COVID-19 pandemic. 65% of participants believed that High volume evacuators (HVE) suction devices, as well as High efficiency articulate air (HEPA) filters, need to be used to control aerosol spread so as to prevent COVID-19 infection.
 Conclusion: Dentists in Saudi Arabia showed satisfactory knowledge and positive attitude towards COVID-19. Improving dentists’ level of knowledge could be achieved through increasing their accessibility to materials provided by dental health care authorities, which specifies the best and safest approaches for dealing with patients during and after the outbreak.
Highlights
COVID-19 has been considered as a global pandemic since March, 2020 [1]
A questionnaire consisting of 12 questions was distributed, based upon knowledge of COVID-19, transmission as well as prevention strategies that can be implemented in dental clinics for stopping the chain of outbreak of this pandemic
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the third known coronavirus after SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and middle east respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that was first described in late December 2019, until the epidemic began in Wuhan, China, and induces extreme respiratory disease and human pneumonia-like infection [7]
Summary
COVID-19 has been considered as a global pandemic since March, 2020 [1]. Healthcare facilities have had a major difficulty to meet demands for treating patients during this pandemic especially [2]. Due to the severity of this viral infection there has been a dire need for ICU beds, PPE kits, ventilator machines etc. This has created panic amongst hospital staff and authorities [6]. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the third known coronavirus after SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and middle east respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that was first described in late December 2019, until the epidemic began in Wuhan, China, and induces extreme respiratory disease and human pneumonia-like infection [7]. Earlier studies have authenticated that these coronaviruses originated from mainly bats and jumped species from an intermediate host like camels or civets to its final host which is in humans. It is suspected that current epidemic of COVID-19 infection has its origin from bats and later jumped to pangolins. A range of symptoms appear in these patients like fever, cold, cough, breathlessness, dyspnoea, loss of smell sensation etc [9]
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