Assessment of the knowledge, awareness and attitude of dental professionals towards patient care after the outbreak of novel corona virus- a questionnaire study

Background: A novel human coronavirus is responsible for the latest pandemic that is exerting an effect on health of the population and economy across the world. Due to the attributes of a dental setup, the risk of cross infection between the dentist and patients can be exorbitantly high. Dentists come across patients with presumed or confirmed COVID-19 and have to ensure stringent infection prevention and control to prevent its nosocomial spread. For this, they need to update their knowledge, skills, awareness and attitude regarding infection control and follow the protocols recommended by the relevant authorities. Methods: A customized questionnaire was prepared and validated. The questionnaire was sent to the consenting participants through various social network platforms. The responses were collected and analysed. Results: Most of the dentists believed that the new ‘normal’ in dentistry post pandemic would require changes in the structure of dental treatment. More than 50% of participants believed that triage of patients should be done. One-third of the participants were not aware regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) wearing protocol to be used while rendering dental treatment. Conclusion: A majority of dentists had a fair knowledge about COVID-19.