Abstract
Proper oral health care has an impact on the health of the entire body. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the functioning of the healthcare sector, including dental services. The aim of this study was to analyse the behaviour of patients with regard to their use of dental services during the pandemic. The data were obtained from paper registration forms taken from five dental offices in the city of Cracow between March 2019 and February 2021. During the analysed periods, interest among first-time patients in dental services decreased to 37% (during the month when interest in dental services was at its lowest) compared to the year preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of cancelled visits increased by between 15% and 50% compared to the pre-pandemic period. During the pandemic, appointments made by existing patients increased by up to 84% compared to 2019. The decision by patients to postpone dental treatment not only has adverse effects on their oral and body health, but in turn results in higher health care costs. Given the potential for another pandemic, further long-term research is required to develop and implement special protocols to make the public aware of the safety of health care.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted an impact on healthcare worldwide
The incomplete knowledge of the nature of COVID-19, the specificity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and infections, as well as the various restrictions introduced by governments, have given rise to patient uncertainty a shift to decreased interest in specific dental services [3]
Five dental offices were qualified for the study, which provided a full range of dental services, all specializations, had their own prosthetic laboratory and their own X-ray diagnostics and 3D computed tomography laboratory, and provided dental services continuously throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted an impact on healthcare worldwide. In response to the health emergency governments and the WHO (World Health Organization) have issued recommendations and guidelines regarding the functioning of health care, including in the private sector and dental care [1,2,3,4].The high risk of infection for both dental office staff and patients led to the implementation of a number of procedures and practices aimed at minimizing this risk, including the use of personal protective equipment, measuring body temperature, conducting epidemiological interviews, air disinfection, extending the time interval between patients and rotating the work of dental offices [2,3,4,5,6].At the same time, the incomplete knowledge of the nature of COVID-19, the specificity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and infections, as well as the various restrictions introduced by governments, have given rise to patient uncertainty a shift to decreased interest in specific dental services [3].The aim of this study was to assess the degree of patients’ interest in dental services during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular in the period from March 2020 to February2021, and to compare this interest with patients’ interest in dental services in the preceding year, i.e., from March 2019 to February 2020, focusing on five dental offices in the Polish city of Cracow.Int. The incomplete knowledge of the nature of COVID-19, the specificity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and infections, as well as the various restrictions introduced by governments, have given rise to patient uncertainty a shift to decreased interest in specific dental services [3]. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of patients’ interest in dental services during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular in the period from March 2020 to February. 2021, and to compare this interest with patients’ interest in dental services in the preceding year, i.e., from March 2019 to February 2020, focusing on five dental offices in the Polish city of Cracow.
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