The Multifaceted Influence of COVID-19 on Indian Dentists: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Figures & data

Table 1 Data from Questionnaire Regarding Sample Characteristics

	Characteristic				Total
1	Age	>29 years	30–59 years	>60 years	513
		248 (48.3%)	240 (46.7%)	25 (5%)
2	Gender	Male	Female		513
		210 (41%)	303 (59%)
3	Nationality	Indian			513
		513 (100%)
4	Number of years of clinical practice	2–5 years	5–10 years	>10 years	513
		334 (65.1%)	107 (20.9%)	72 (14%)
5	Type of practice	Individual	Group	Institutional	513
		333 (65%)	77 (15%)	103 (20%)
6	Part time/Full time status	Full time	Part time		513
		374 (73%)	139 (27%)
7	Level of Education	BDS	MDS		513
		292 (57%)	221 (43%)
8	Geographic location of practice	State	Number of respondents		513
		Karnataka	143 (28%)
		Maharashtra	92 (18%)
		Tamil Nadu	82 (16%)
		Uttar Pradesh	35 (7%)
		Kerala	25 (5%)
		Andhra Pradesh	20 (4%)
		Punjab	20 (4%)
		Rajasthan	15 (3%)
		Madhya Pradesh	15 (3%)
		Telangana	10 (2%)
		Gujarat	15 (3%)
		Haryana	10 (2%)
		Delhi	5 (1%)
		Chhattisgarh	5 (1%)
		West Bengal	5 (1%)
		Himachal Pradesh	5 (1%)
		Jharkhand	5 (1%)
		Bihar	0
		Orissa	0
		Pondicherry	0
		Assam	0
		Jammu and Kashmir	0
		Uttarakhand	0
		Manipur	0
		Chandigarh	0
		Daman and Diu	0
		Goa	0

Table 2 Data from Questionnaire Regarding Sample Geographical Information

		State-Wise Distribution of Dental Colleges in India (Total – 323)	Number of Dentists Contacted for Survey Per State (Total – 1129)	Number of Dentists that Responded Per State (Total – 513)
1	Karnataka	48 (14.8%)	167 (14.8%)	143 (28%)
2	Maharashtra	38 (11.7%)	124 (11.7%)	92 (18%)
3	Tamil Nadu	30 (9.2%)	101 (9.2%)	82 (16%)
4	Uttar Pradesh	27 (8.3%)	93 (8.3%)	35 (7%)
5	Kerala	26 (8.0%)	90 (8.0%)	25 (5%)
6	Andhra Pradesh	16 (4.9%)	55 (4.9%)	20 (4%)
7	Punjab	16 (4.9%)	55 (4.9%)	20 (4%)
8	Rajasthan	16 (4.9%)	55 (4.9%)	15 (3%)
9	Madhya Pradesh	15 (4.6%)	51 (4.6%)	15 (3%)
10	Telangana	14 (4.3%)	48 (4.3%)	10 (2%)
11	Gujarat	13 (4.0%)	45 (4.0%)	15 (3%)
12	Haryana	10 (3.0%)	33 (3.0%)	10 (2%)
13	Delhi	6 (1.8%)	20 (1.8%)	5 (1%)
14	Chhattisgarh	6 (1.8%)	20 (1.8%)	5 (1%)
15	West Bengal	6 (1.8%)	20 (1.8%)	5 (1%)
16	Himachal Pradesh	5 (1.5%)	16 (1.5%)	5 (1%)
17	Jharkhand	4 (1.2%)	13 (1.2%)	5 (1%)
18	Bihar	4 (1.2%)	13 (1.2%)	0
19	Orissa	4 (1.2%)	13 (1.2%)	0
20	Pondicherry	4 (1.2%)	13 (1.2%)	0
21	Assam	3 (0.9%)	10 (0.9%)	0
22	Jammu and Kashmir	3 (0.9%)	10 (0.9%)	0
23	Uttarakhand	3 (0.9%)	10 (0.9%)	0
24	Manipur	2 (0.6%)	6 (0.6%)	0
25	Chandigarh	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0
26	Daman and Diu	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0
27	Goa	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0

Figure 1 Response of the dentists regarding the use of PPE and N95 masks.

Figure 2 Response of the dentists regarding the use of use of PPE and its impact.

Table 3 Data from Questionnaire Regarding Patient Management

Serial No.	Questions	Responses
		Major Decline	Minor Decline	No Decline		Total
1	Was there a decline in number of patients reporting to dental clinics since the beginning of COVID-19	232 (45.2%)	205 (40.5%)	76 (14.3%)		513
		Yes	No	Some procedures		Total
2	Do you ask every patient for a RT-PCR test before conducting any dental procedure?	122 (23.8%)	183 (35.7%)	208 (40.5%)		513
		Yes	No	Sometimes		Total
3	Did you regularly use a mouth wash for patients before procedures pre-pandemic ?	263 (51.2%)	163 (31.7%)	87 (17.1%)		513
		Yes	No			Total
4	Did you regularly use a mouth wash before procedures during the pandemic?	400 (78%)	113 (22%)			513
		Povidone iodine	Chlorhexidine			Total
5	Which mouth wash did you use for patients during the pandemic began?	122 (23.73%)	391 (76.3%)			513
		Yes	No	Not sure	Cannot say	Total
6	Do you believe mouth wash could halt the spread of COVID-19 infection?	250 (48.8%)	25 (4.9%)	188 (36.6%)	50 (9.8%)	513
		Yes	No			Total
7	Did you use rubber dam regularly during procedures before the pandemic?	192 (37.5%)	321 (62.5%)			513
8	Did you use rubber dam regularly during procedures in the pandemic?	309 (60.3%)	204 (39.7%)			513
9	Have you adhered to the guidelines prescribed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)?	475 (92.5%)	38 (7.5%)			513
10	Did you consider altering treatment methods and protocol due to COVID-19 pandemic?	463 (90.2%)	50 (9.8%)			513
		Yes	No	Thought about it		Total
11	Did you educate yourself regarding COVID-19 and its impact on dentistry?	451 (87.8%)	37 (7.3%)	25 (4.9%)		513

Figure 3 Response of the dentists regarding the changes in patient behavior.

Table 4 Data from Questionnaire Regarding Auxiliary Staff and Their Management

Serial No.	Questions	Responses
		Yes	No	Maybe			Total
1	Do you think dental assistants require any special training post pandemic?	363 (70.7%)	50 (9.8%)	100 (17.1%)			513
		Counseling	Educating	Providing financial assistance	Flexible work schedule	Advance on salary
2	Were any measures taken to reduce psychological stress experienced by auxiliary staff at the clinic during the pandemic?	295 (out of 513) 57.5% (out of 100%)	410 (out of 513) 80% (out of 100%)	218 (out of 513) 42.5% (out of 100%)	231 (out of 513) 45% (out of 100%)	90 (out of 513) 17.5% (out of 100%)
		Yes	No				Total
3	Did auxiliary leave job at the clinic due to pandemic?	175 (34.2%)	338 (65.8%)				513

Figure 4 Response of the dentists with respect to the concerns shown by dental assistants during COVID-19.

Table 5 Data from Questionnaire Regarding Professional Impact

Serial No.	Questions
		Yes	No	Maybe		Total
1	Was patient treatment and management the same as it was pre- pandemic?	175 (34.1%)	313 (61%)	25 (4.9%)		513
		Yes	No			Total
2	Did distance learning play a more important role during the pandemic an do you think you will continue with it in the future?	338 (65.9%)	175 (34.1%)			513
		Yes	No	Sometimes		Total
3	Did you practice tele medicine during the pandemic?	275 (53.7%)	137 (26.8%)	101 (19.5%)		513
		Yes	No	Maybe		Total
4	Do you think tele medicine will play an important role in dentistry ijn the future?	200 (39%)	188 (36.6%)	125 (24.4%)		513
5	Did you consider changing your profession during the pandemic?	63 (12.2%)	413 (80.5%)	37 (7.3%)		513
		Yes	No	Did consider		Total
6	Did you move out of your place of practice during the pandemic?	150 (29.3%)	313 (61%)	50 (9.8%)		513
		Complete recovery	Partial Recovery	Continued losses	Not affected economically	Total
7	What has economic recovery after the first few waves looked like?	26 (5%)	346 (67.5%)	64 (12.5%)	77 (15%)	513

Figure 5 Response of the dentists regarding the economic repercussions.

Figure 6 Response of the dentists regarding the effect on mental health.

Figure 7 Response of the dentists regarding the measures taken for mental health management.