Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Dentists in Southern State of India, During Coronavirus Disease-۱۹

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-۱۹) affected health professionals and humans around the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-۱۹ as pandemic on March ۱۱, ۲۰۲۰. Hence the purpose of the research was to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentist in southern state of India, during COVID-۱۹ lockdown. Materials and Methods: A descriptive online questionnaire-based survey was executed on knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentist in southern state of India, during October ۲۰۲۰ to December ۲۰۲۰. It was a self-directed, unidentified questionnaire and comprised ۲۵ close questions with ۴ possible answers. A total of ۴۰ clinical dental students, interns, practicing dentist, dental specialists and academician were recruited using non-probability availability sampling. Results: The questionnaire contained questions about personal information (۵), knowledge (۷), attitudes (۶), and practices (۶). About ۶۰% of the respondents belonged to ۲۰-۳۰ years while ۳۰% to ۳۱-۴۵ years old group. The participants were ۵۹% undergraduates, ۳۰% postgraduates, ۷% academician, and ۳.۶% academician and private practitioner. Most of them were aware that SARS-CoV۲ belonged to RNA virus, route of imparting was through respiratory droplets, and the effectiveness of hand washes and sanitizers in killing the virus evoked mixed response. However, only ۶۶.۶% of respondents said that hand washes and sanitizers were effective in killing the virus. Conclusion: The practicing dentists and academicians had enough knowledge to manage COVID-۱۹ situation very well compared to students and interns. Hence, the academician should conduct regular online classes to inform the students and interns the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) kit, N-۹۵ mask, sterilization, hand sanitization, and vaccination during COVID-۱۹.

کلیدواژه ها:

COVID-۱۹ ، Dentist ، Communicable diseases ، Pandemic