Florin Eggmann1, Asin Ahmad Haschemi2, Dimitrios Doukoudis3, Andreas Filippi4, Carlalberta Verna5, Clemens Walter6, Roland Weiger6, Nicola U Zitzmann7, Michael M Bornstein8. 1. Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, University Center for Dental Medicine UZB, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 40, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland. florin.eggmann@unibas.ch. 2. Department of General Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry, University Center for Dental Medicine UZB, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 3. Department of General Dentistry, University Center for Dental Medicine UZB, University of Basel UZB, Basel, Switzerland. 4. Department of Oral Surgery, University Center for Dental Medicine Basel UZB, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 5. Department of Pediatric Oral Health and Orthodontics, University Center for Dental Medicine Basel UZB, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 6. Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, University Center for Dental Medicine UZB, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 40, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland. 7. Department of Reconstructive Dentistry, University Center for Dental Medicine Basel UZB, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 8. Department of Oral Health & Medicine, University Center for Dental Medicine Basel UZB, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess whether the emergency service of a major Swiss dental institution faced different demands (patient volume, treatment needs, dental care characteristics) during a lockdown, issued to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the weeks before and after. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of patients receiving urgent care at a university center for dental medicine (Basel, Switzerland) during the 6-week lockdown, pre-lockdown, and post-lockdown periods were retrospectively evaluated. Statistical analysis involved tests for equal proportions and logistic regression models. The level of significance was set at α=0.05. RESULTS: The study comprised 3109 dental emergency visits in the period from February 2 to June 5, 2020. Daily caseloads increased during lockdown. Abscesses, orthodontic emergencies, and surgical follow-ups were more common during lockdown, whereas the number of dento-alveolar injuries declined (≤0.048). Urgent dental care provision involved intraoral radiographs more frequently in the pre-lockdown period compared with the following weeks (p<0.001). Among all treatments, aerosol-generating procedures dropped from 56.1% (pre-lockdown) to 21.3% during lockdown (p<0.001), while teledentistry follow-ups became more frequent (p<0.001). Patients with comorbidities sought urgent dental care less frequently during the post-lockdown period (p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The lockdown significantly impacted the dental emergency service in terms of patients' diagnoses, treatment needs, and the characteristics of the urgent care that was delivered. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Access to essential dental care must be monitored and safeguarded throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as deferred care entails risks for serious sequelae and persons with comorbidities may change their dental care-seeking behavior.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess whether the emergency service of a major Swiss dental institution faced different demands (patient volume, treatment needs, dental care characteristics) during a lockdown, issued to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the weeks before and after. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of patients receiving urgent care at a university center for dental medicine (Basel, Switzerland) during the 6-week lockdown, pre-lockdown, and post-lockdown periods were retrospectively evaluated. Statistical analysis involved tests for equal proportions and logistic regression models. The level of significance was set at α=0.05. RESULTS: The study comprised 3109 dental emergency visits in the period from February 2 to June 5, 2020. Daily caseloads increased during lockdown. Abscesses, orthodontic emergencies, and surgical follow-ups were more common during lockdown, whereas the number of dento-alveolar injuries declined (≤0.048). Urgent dental care provision involved intraoral radiographs more frequently in the pre-lockdown period compared with the following weeks (p<0.001). Among all treatments, aerosol-generating procedures dropped from 56.1% (pre-lockdown) to 21.3% during lockdown (p<0.001), while teledentistry follow-ups became more frequent (p<0.001). Patients with comorbidities sought urgent dental care less frequently during the post-lockdown period (p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The lockdown significantly impacted the dental emergency service in terms of patients' diagnoses, treatment needs, and the characteristics of the urgent care that was delivered. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Access to essential dental care must be monitored and safeguarded throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as deferred care entails risks for serious sequelae and persons with comorbidities may change their dental care-seeking behavior.
Authors: Cameron G Estrich; Matthew Mikkelsen; Rachel Morrissey; Maria L Geisinger; Effie Ioannidou; Marko Vujicic; Marcelo W B Araujo Journal: J Am Dent Assoc Date: 2020-11 Impact factor: 3.634
Authors: Olivera Dolic; Marija Obradovic; Zeljka Kojic; Natasa Knezevic; Natasa Trtic; Valentina Veselinovic; Slava Sukara Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-09-27 Impact factor: 4.614