Stress and Financial Burden Faced by Dentists Amidst COVID 19 Pandemic
Amruta Popatrao Patil *
Private Clinic, India.
Dilip Magdum
Department of Oral Pathology, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, India.
Santosh Jadhav
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College, Pune, India.
Abhijeet Jadhav
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College, Pune, India.
Prakash Vhatkar
Department of Periodontology, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College, Pune, India.
Pratibha Gopal Kavle
Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Dental College, Navi Mumbai, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic, initiated in Wuhan, China, had devastating effects on the dental industry world-wide. The mode of transmission of SARS Cov-2, causative agent of Covid-19, was through aerosol and saliva contamination putting dentists at high risk of contracting Covid-19. The measures taken to contain the spread of virus had financial repercussion on the dental industry. The survey was conducted to understand the mental health of dentists amidst Covid-19 pandemic.
Aim: To analyse the concerns and anxiety faced by dental surgeons regarding vaccination and the psychological and socio-economic impact Covid-19 pandemic had on dental setups.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 3 months. A sample size of 300 dentists belonging to age group of 25years to 45years was analysed. The dentists included in the sample practiced in Maharashtra, India. A questionnaire was formulated in Google forms and circulated through social media platform. The result was analysed and demonstrated in pie-charts.
Results: The survey analysed that majority of dentists were apprehensive to carry out dental procedures. Along with the risk of contracting and being a source of transmission of Covid-19, dentists had huge financial burden of clinic rents, EMI loan pending bills, the cost of preventive kits and reduced patient flow.
Conclusion: The survey was successful in analysing the monetary and safety concerns faced by dentists amidst Covid-19 pandemic. The survey also pointed out the mental stress dentists had to overcome to practice dental procedures.
Keywords: COVID 19 pandemic, dentist, stress, financial burden