Impact of COVID-19 on oral health care professionals

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the physical, psychological, social, and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the daily lives of oral health professionals in Portugal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the form of an online questionnaire with 32 questions through Google Forms. The survey’s link was shared with oral health professionals in Portugal through institutional e-mail addresses and social networks. Results: The questionnaire obtained 364 responses. Regarding the impact of COVID-19 on clinical practice, 48.1% of professionals reported that the number of work hours decreased, and more than 74% reported a decrease in their monthly income. When asked about the affluence of patients, 43% indicated that it decreased. Approximately 30% of survey takers indicated that the current situation had affected the quality of the treatments carried out. As for the impact of COVID-19 on physical and mental health, the participants reported a considerable increase in tiredness and stress/anxiety levels. The vast majority (74%) admitted that they could not disconnect from work-related stress. Finally, 92.3% are aware and apply the directives for removing personal protective equipment. Conclusions: The present study concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic had a clear psychological, social, physical, and economic impact on oral health professionals in Portugal. Therefore, we believe that national public health institutions must transmit that dental practices are safe environments and create psychological and financial support mechanisms for the most affected professionals.