Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Oral Health Workforce: A Multicenter Study from the Southern Region of Brazil

Cristine Maria Warmling, Rubens Spin-Neto, Luciana Zambillo Palma, Manoelito Ferreira Silva-Junior, Renata Goulart Castro, Mirelle Finkler, Márcia Helena Baldani and Fernando Valentim Bitencourt ()
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Cristine Maria Warmling: Graduate Program Teaching in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, RS, Brazil
Rubens Spin-Neto: Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Section for Oral Radiology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
Luciana Zambillo Palma: Graduate Program Teaching in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, RS, Brazil
Manoelito Ferreira Silva-Junior: Department of Health I, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Jequie 45083-900, BA, Brazil
Renata Goulart Castro: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
Mirelle Finkler: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
Márcia Helena Baldani: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa 84010-330, PR, Brazil
Fernando Valentim Bitencourt: Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Section for Periodontology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) to describe the surveillance and biosafety measures adopted by dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants who worked in the Southern Region of Brazil and (2) to evaluate access to information in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a multicenter and cross-sectional design, using a self-applied and validated online questionnaire. The availability of health-care-related supplies and the adoption of biosafety measures recommended by the Technical Note of the National Health Surveillance Agency No. 04/2020 were analyzed. A total of 2560 Brazilian workers participated (75.8% dentists, 15.7% dental assistants and 8.5% dental hygienists), 52.7% from the public and 37.7% from the private sector. Approximately 70% of the individuals reported being away from work during the pandemic. The surveillance measures adopted with higher mean scores were the investigation of respiratory infection symptoms when scheduling appointments and the adoption of distancing in the waiting room. Of the biosafety measures to avoid aerosols, the procedures with lower compliance were those related to the use of intraoral radiographs and rubber dams. Moreover, the correct use of personal protective equipment at work seems to be related to self-perceived stress and anxiety. Worryingly, high access to information through non-governmental documents was observed. Permanent health education policies should reinforce safe practices and encourage workers to implement biosafety and surveillance measures in health services.

Keywords: COVID-19; dental education; health workforce; public health dentistry; SARS-CoV-2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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