Title : An investigation into the impact of changes in dental practices following the COVID-19 outbreak on patients with dental anxiety and their attitudes towards these changes
Abstract:
Introduction: The study aimed to explore the attitudes of adults with dental anxiety towards changes made in dental practices following the onset of COVID-19 and identify any triggers of their anxiety.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey study design was employed. An online questionnaire assessed respondents’ anxiety levels since the onset of the pandemic compared to before and identified any triggers of their anxiety. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were performed.
Results: The majority of adults with dental anxiety noticed an increase in their dental anxiety levels since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the main reasons for the increase has been due to the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Measures which most respondents felt anxious about were the extra PPE, use of teledentistry and having to wait outside the building before an appointment.
Discussion: The study provides a novel insight into the impact of COVID-19 on dentally anxious adults, a topic which has not been previously studied in the UK population. The main limitation is the small sample size, therefore to ensure the findings are generalisable to a wider population, a larger-scale study would have to be conducted.
Conclusion: The study gives insight into the attitudes of dentally anxious adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and can be used to inform patient care.
