Infection Control Measures in Dental Clinics during Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study

Authors

  • Rawa Kamal Abdelrahim Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Husham Abu Elgasim Abdoun Medical Affairs of Saudi Border Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Pradeep Koppolu Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Lingam Amara Swapna Department of Surgical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.5898

Keywords:

Personal Protective Equipment, Dental Clinics, COVID-19, Infection Control, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 is an infectious respiratory disease causing different symptoms ranging from mild to more complicated cases. In dental clinics, there is a potential risk of cross-infection between dental health worker and patients. Therefore, new infection prevention measures have been recommended to minimize spread of COVID-19 in dental clinics.

AIM: The aim of this study is to get an insight into the infection control measures followed by dentists and modification done in personal protective equipment (PPE) to combat spread of infection during COVID-19 in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: A cross-sectional data using online Google survey. The sample included dentists working in either private or government from different regions in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Chi-square test was used to investigate the association between categorical variables (p < 0.05)

RESULTS: Seventy dentists included in the study of which 40% are working in Riyadh. Dental clinics are undertaken respiratory triage and reduce number of patients in waiting area (91% and 98%, respectively). Increased usage of PPE (head cap, face shield, and N95 mask) during the pandemic was observed in the study sample (p = 0.001). Working hours and number of patients were reduced during COVID-19.

CONCLUSION: Evidence shows that majority of dentists working in KSA are following recommended measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Some dentists modified their PPE during the pandemic. However, further research is required to investigate adherence to infection control measures by dentists.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Plum Analytics Artifact Widget Block

References

Yuen KS, Ye ZW, Fung SY, Chan CP, Jin DY. SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: The most important research questions. Cell Biosci. 2020;10(1):40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13578-020-00404-4 PMid:32190290 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13578-020-00404-4

Tang D, Comish P, Kang R. The hallmarks of COVID-19 disease. PLoS Pathog. 2020;16(5):e1008536. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1008536 PMid:32442210 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1008536

Ortiz-Prado E, Simbaña-Rivera K, Gómez-Barreno L, Rubio- Neira M, Guaman LP, Kyriakidis NC, et al. Clinical, molecular, and epidemiological characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a comprehensive literature review. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2020;98(1):115094. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202004.0283.v1 PMid:32623267 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202004.0283.v1

Zhang LP, Wang M, Wang Y, Zhu J, Zhang N. Focus on a 2019-novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Future Microbiol. 2020;15:905-18. https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2020-0063 PMid:32524843 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2020-0063

Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Balbin-Ramon GJ, Rabaan AA, Sah R, Paniz-Mondolfi A, et al. History is repeating itself: Probable zoonotic spillover as the cause of the 2019 novel Coronavirus Epidemic. Infez Med. 2020;28(1):3-5. PMid:32009128

Tan W, Zhao X, Ma X, Wang W, Niu P, Xu W, et al. A novel Coronavirus genome identified in a cluster of pneumonia cases- Wuhan, China 2019-2020. China CDC Wkly. 2020;2(4):61-2. https://doi.org/10.46234/ccdcw2020.017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.46234/ccdcw2020.017

Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W, Li X, Yang B, Song J, et al. A novel Coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(8):727-33. PMid:31978945 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2001017

Mahase E. China Coronavirus: WHO declares international emergency as death toll exceeds 200. BMJ. 2020;368:m408. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m408 PMid:32005727 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m408

World Health Organization. WHO Timeline-COVID-19. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020. Available from: https://www. who.int/news-room/detail/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19. [Last accessed on 2020 Jun 25]. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202007.0051.v1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202007.0051.v1

Guo G, Ye L, Pan K, Chen Y, Xing D, Yan K, et al. New insights of emerging SARS-CoV-2: Epidemiology, etiology, clinical features, clinical treatment, and prevention. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020;8:410. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.00410 PMid:32574318 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.00410

Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, et al. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel Coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020;395(10223):497-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30183-5 PMid:31986264 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5

World Health Organization. Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020.

Rothan HA, Byrareddy SN. The epidemiology and pathogenesis of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. J Autoimmun. 2020;109:102433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102433 PMid:32113704 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102433

Singhal T. A review of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Indian J Pediat. 2020;87(4):281-6. PMid:32166607 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-020-03263-6

Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, Zhu F, Liu X, Zhang J, et al. Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel Coronavirus-infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA. 2020;323(11):1061-9. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1585 PMid:32031570 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1585

World Health Organization. Modes of Transmission of Virus Causing COVID-19: Implications for IPC Precaution Recommendations: Scientific Brief, 27 March 2020. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Infection Prevention and Control and Preparedness for COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings, Stockholm; 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7748/cnp.19.3.12.s9

Morawska L, Tang JW, Bahnfleth W, Bluyssen PM, Boerstra A, Buonanno G, et al. How can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised? Environ Int. 2020;142:105832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105832 PMid:32521345 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105832

Zhang R, Li Y, Zhang AL, Wang Y, Molina MJ. Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2020;117(26):14857-63. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2009637117 PMid:32527856 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2009637117

Su J. Aerosol transmission risk and comprehensive prevention and control strategy in dental treatment. Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2020;55(4):229-34. PMid:32268623

Zemouri C, de Soet H, Crielaard W, Laheij A. A scoping review on bio-aerosols in healthcare and the dental environment. PLoS One. 2017;12(5):e0178007. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178007 PMid:28531183 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178007

Meng L, Hua F, Bian Z. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Emerging and future challenges for dental and oral medicine. J Dent Res. 2020;99(5):481-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520914246 PMid:32162995 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520914246

Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, Cheng L, Zhou X, Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12(1):9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9 PMid:32127517 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9

Ministry of Health. Guidance for Reopening Dental Services in Governmental and Private Sectors during COVID-19 Pandemic. Saudi Arabia: Ministry of Health; 2020.

Consolo U, Bellini P, Bencivenni D, Iani C, Checchi V. Epidemiological aspects and psychological reactions to COVID-19 of dental practitioners in the Northern Italy districts of modena and reggio emilia. Int J Environ res Public Health. 2020;17(10):3459. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103459 PMid:32429193 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103459

Laheij AM, Kistler JO, Belibasakis GN, Välimaa H, de Soet JJ. Healthcare-associated viral and bacterial infections in dentistry. J Oral Microbiol. 2012;4(1):17659. https://doi.org/10.3402/jom.v4i0.17659 PMid:22701774 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3402/jom.v4i0.17659

Fiorillo L, Cervino G, Matarese M, D’Amico C, Surace G, Paduano V, et al. COVID-19 surface persistence: A recent data summary and its importance for medical and dental settings. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(9):3132. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093132 PMid:32365891 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093132

Jibreen S, Dababneh R, Khouri A. Compliance with the use of personal protective equipment among dentists working at the royal medical services. J R Med Serv. 2009;16:74-8.

AlAhdal A, Aljehani W, Ali G, Bayoumi A. Knowledge, attitude and practice of infection control measures in private dental clinics in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Int J Dent Oral Health. 2019;5(1):1-6. https://doi.org/10.16966/2378-7090.286 DOI: https://doi.org/10.16966/2378-7090.286

Mandourh MS, Alhomaidhi NR, Fatani NH, Alsharif AS, Ujaimi GK, Khan G. Awareness and implementation of infection control measures in private dental clinics, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Int J Infect Control. 2017;13(1):1-14.

Mutters NT, Hägele U, Hagenfeld D, Hellwig E, Frank U. Compliance with infection control practices in an university hospital dental clinic. GMS Hyg Infect Control. 2014;9(3):Doc18. PMid:25285262

Khader Y, Al Nsour M, Al-Batayneh OB, Saadeh R, Bashier H, Alfaqih M, et al. Dentists’ awareness, perception, and attitude regarding COVID-19 and infection control: Cross-sectional study among jordanian dentists. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2020;6(2):e18798. https://doi.org/10.2196/18798 PMid:32250959 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/18798

Downloads

Published

2021-04-21

How to Cite

1.
Abdelrahim RK, Abdoun HAE, Koppolu P, Swapna LA. Infection Control Measures in Dental Clinics during Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study. Open Access Maced J Med Sci [Internet]. 2021 Apr. 21 [cited 2024 Nov. 22];9(D):61-7. Available from: https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/5898

Issue

Section

Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry

Categories