Economic Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Dental Practices in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Thomas Gerhard Wolf, Adrian Barth, Joachim Hüttmann, Michael Lennartz, Ernst-Jürgen Otterbach, Christian Brendel, Maria Grazia Cagetti, James Deschner and Guglielmo Campus
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Thomas Gerhard Wolf: Department of Restorative, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Adrian Barth: Department of Restorative, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland
Joachim Hüttmann: Free Association of German Dentists, Freier Verband Deutscher Zahnärzte (FVDZ), D-53117 Bonn, Germany
Michael Lennartz: Free Association of German Dentists, Freier Verband Deutscher Zahnärzte (FVDZ), D-53117 Bonn, Germany
Ernst-Jürgen Otterbach: Free Association of German Dentists, Freier Verband Deutscher Zahnärzte (FVDZ), D-53117 Bonn, Germany
Christian Brendel: Solvi GmbH, D-65529 Waldems, Germany
Maria Grazia Cagetti: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Beldiletto 1, 20142 Milan, Italy
James Deschner: Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, D-55131 Mainz, Germany
Guglielmo Campus: Department of Restorative, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-9

Abstract: An observational cross-sectional survey was planned and carried out to evaluate the economic impact of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic on dental practices in Germany. An online-questionnaire was developed and previously calibrated by a group consisting of experts from dentists, lawyers, and business economists (n = 21; Intra-Class-Coefficient > 0.8). It consisted of four main categories: vital statistics, professional activity and practice structure, economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and validation and contextualization to avoid automated filling in. The questionnaire was administered anonymously to 9732 dentists in Germany, 4434 of whom opened it and 1496 of whom fully completed it. These results were evaluated and summarized. Respondents were divided into seven German economic macro areas. Difference in proportion among questionnaire items was evaluated with ? 2 test or Fisher exact test appropriately. Linear trend analysis was performed among German macro areas. Ordinal multinomial linear regression analysis was run to evaluate the association with questionnaire items with respect to a collapse and/or quarantine measures due to a positive test/infection/disease of dental personnel or an increase in average monthly costs due to the pandemic. One-third experienced a collapse or quarantine measures of the predominantly self-employed participating dentists (92%). Small practices were less affected than larger ones. Average monthly costs increased sharply in all practice structures. The findings shall help to better manage future pandemics and provide information to policy makers. As the pandemic situation is still ongoing, the medium- and long-term economic impact should be further evaluated.

Keywords: COVID-19; corona virus; dentistry; dental practice; economic effects; global pandemic; Germany (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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