Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (Jun 2022)

COVID-19 Contraction Among Dental Healthcare Workers in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics – A Retrospective Analysis During the Pandemic

  • Vasan PK,
  • Shinde O,
  • Banga KS,
  • Basha S,
  • Karobari MI,
  • Basheer SN,
  • Mirza MB,
  • Pawar AM

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 15
pp. 1243 – 1252

Abstract

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Purveet Kaur Vasan,1 Omkar Shinde,1 Kulvinder Singh Banga,1 Sakeenabi Basha,2 Mohmed Isaqali Karobari,3,4 Syed Nahid Basheer,5 Mubashir Baig Mirza,6 Ajinkya M Pawar1 1Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400008, India; 2Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh, 12211, Cambodia; 4Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600077, India; 5Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 6Conservative Dental Science Department, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mohmed Isaqali Karobari, Department of Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh, 12211, Cambodia, Email [email protected] Ajinkya M Pawar, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400008, India, Email [email protected]: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major challenges for the healthcare sector across the globe including dental healthcare workers (DHCWs) due to the increased risk of transmission of virus during aerosol-generating procedures. We conducted the present retrospective analysis determining the risk of contraction of COVID-19 infection among DHCWs since the outbreak of the pandemic for a year (March 2020 through March 2021) in Mumbai.Methods: In total, 18,058 patients visited the Nair Hospital Dental College for dental treatment related to the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics during the assessed year. All the patients were subjected to intensive triage, which included recording their body temperature, oxygen saturation level, travel, and COVID-19 exposure history.Results: A total of 26 DHCWs were responsible for attending and treating the patients with all the standard infection control measures. Seventy-four (0.40%) patients out of 18058 were referred for a nasal rapid antigen test (RAT) on giving a positive affirmation about COVID-19 like symptoms when screened at the triage. Of those 74 patients referred, 20 reported a positive nasal rapid antigen test and the infection was confirmed by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Among 26, 9 (34,7%) DCHWs were found to have contracted the infection during the assessed year.Conclusion: The analysis found that the risk of COVID-19 infection contraction amongst the DHCWs is considerably less. This could be attributed to the intensive triage and the preventive measures taken while rendering treatment.Keywords: COVID-19, endodontics, infection control, operative dentistry, pandemic

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