Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Paediatric Dental Treatment: A Retrospective Study in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Olivera Dolic (), Marija Obradovic, Zeljka Kojic, Natasa Knezevic, Natasa Trtic, Valentina Veselinovic and Slava Sukara
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Olivera Dolic: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marija Obradovic: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Zeljka Kojic: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Natasa Knezevic: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Natasa Trtic: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Valentina Veselinovic: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Slava Sukara: Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Abstract: Dentists are at significant risk of COVID-19 infection. It was difficult to find a balance between dental care, especially preventive and other non-urgent dental procedures, and prevention of potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental treatment in children in the Dental Clinic of the University of Banja Luka, and to compare it before and during the first and second years of the pandemic. All dental records of paediatric patients who attended the Dental Clinic (for the period March 2019 to March 2022) were analysed. The data on selected dental treatment procedures were divided into three groups per year and compared. The results during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic showed a reduction in single treatments compared to the year before, while in the second year there was an increase in some interventions such as oral hygiene training and patient motivation, deciduous tooth extraction, and glass ionomer filling. Although the number of dental treatments in the clinic in the second year nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, preventive and restorative interventions are the most appropriate strategy to improve the oral health of children after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; pandemic; dentistry; paediatric patients; public health; paediatric dental treatment (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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