Romanian Dentists’ Perception of Legal Liability Related to COVID-19 Infection during Dental Treatments in Times of the Pandemic Outbreak

Maria Aluaș, Sorana D. Bolboacă (), Anca-Ștefania Mesaroș and Patricia Ondine Lucaciu
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Maria Aluaș: Department of Oral Health, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Victor Babeș Str., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Sorana D. Bolboacă: Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Louis Pasteur Str., No. 6, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Anca-Ștefania Mesaroș: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Dental Materials, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Clinicilor Str., No. 32, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Patricia Ondine Lucaciu: Department of Oral Health, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Victor Babeș Str., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-13

Abstract: Our study aimed to describe and assess the impact of legal aspects on dentists’ practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives were: (a) to explore dentists’ and dental managers’ knowledge about dental liability during the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) to inquire about the respondents’ perceptions of immunity for prejudices resulting from non-urgent dental procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) to assess respondents’ “good faith” in handling challenges in the pandemic context. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, exploratory study based on a survey. The target population was represented by active dentists in Romania from 11 March 2020 to 31 January 2022. An email, professional groups on WhatsApp, and Facebook invitation to participate were sent at the end of January 2022. Data were collected using a self-administrated electronic questionnaire. The responses of sixty-one participants, the majority younger than 41 years (82%) and women (77%), were analyzed. Most respondents (72%) appropriately thought that patients could complain about being infected with COVID-19 during their visits for dental treatment. Most respondents agreed that all dental personnel should benefit from legal immunity (72%). The respondents indicated that clinic or office management is responsible for failing to implement/respect the safety measures and protocols specific to the COVID-19 pandemic (83%). Outcomes showed that the respondents are aware of the possibility of being sued and would not be surprised to see COVID-19 raised in litigation, while the state’s immunity is expected for all dental care personnel, not only dentists.

Keywords: dental liability; immunity; good faith; coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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