Changes in Behavior Management and Treatment Modalities in Pediatric Dentistry during COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the knowledge and confidence of dentists related to behavior management with extra personal protective equipment (PPE), non-aerosol-generating dental procedures in the course of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among a sample of dentists who worked in Jordan and India in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

This study included a total of 177 dentists in Jordan and India that were practicing during the early months of the pandemic. Most dentists were seeing <6 patients per day. The most common emergency treatments during the pandemic by Jordanian dentists were abscesses (51.8%) and cellulitis (44.6%) vs (44.6%) abscesses and (35.5%) pulpitis in India. There was a high adoption of all elements of the PPE protocol. Most participants never or rarely used NO sedation to manage their patients in Jordan and India (80.4 and 71.1%), respectively. Participants in Jordan and India that considered treatment non-aerosol-generating procedures (non-AGP) were (82.1 vs 97.5%, = 0.000), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Most of the surveyed dentists believe the extra PPE acts as a barrier to patient communication and child behavior management and would consider modifying the PPE to be more child-friendly. Most dentists consider non-AGP procedures and silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to be practical ways to practice safer dentistry, yet more training and information is needed for dentists treating children to provide a more confident safe environment for both dentists and their patients.

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE

Alsaleh MM, Sabbarini JM, Al-Batayneh OB, Changes in Behavior Management and Treatment Modalities in Pediatric Dentistry during COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(S-1):S125-S131.