Abstract
Objective To evaluate knowledge and attitudes towards biosafety recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic at a Brazilian dental school. Material and Methods A cross-sectional study was performed in 2020 with the clinical staff of a Brazilian dental school. The whole clinical staff was sent pre-tested self-administered online questionnaires about knowledge and attitudes towards the recommendations for biosafety in dental settings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistical analyses were carried out for proportion calculation. Results Disposable head covering caps, isolation gowns, and gloves were the most frequently reported personal protective equipment (PPE). The rates ranged from 52.9% to 88.5% for N95 respirators, from 68.6% to 92.6% for face shields, from 47.4% to 67.5% for conventional eye protection shields, and 45.1% to 77.4% for eye protection with solid side shields. Chlorhexidine gluconate was the most frequent mouthwash indicated before clinical dental care. The percentage of agreement to provide clinical care to patients with suspected COVID-19 varied from 23.5% to 50.0%. The percentage of respondents who agreed that bioaerosol-generating procedures should be avoided was higher than 74.5%. Less than 50% knew the correct sequence for doffing of PPE. Conclusion This study revealed important gaps in knowledge and attitudes towards prevention and control measures against infection in dental environments in the context of COVID-19, indicating the need for improvements.
Highlights
The explosive growth of COVID-19 infection worldwide has brought, in different countries, immediate and important impacts on healthcare, including dentistry
A total of 549 clinical staff members participated in the study
There was a possible lack of knowledge for indicating the type of mask suitable for clinical dental care, with similar rates for both surgical mask and N95 respirator
Summary
The explosive growth of COVID-19 infection worldwide has brought, in different countries, immediate and important impacts on healthcare, including dentistry. The new biosafety protocols in dentistry have undergone constant adjustments following the scientific evidence that has been published since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic [7-9]. There is still a lack of specific studies on the level of knowledge and attitudes of professionals and undergraduates to the new recommendations in dental care environments, leading to further possible gaps and deficiencies. Given this scenario, it is clear that there will be important changes in dental care guidelines, leaving the decision about the best logistic strategy to each health service, depending on the resources and guidance provided by the best scientific evidence
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