Latest articles

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Oral Healthcare WorkersAs the world continues to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of healthcare workers as one of the most valuable resources has been widely established. Globally, oral healthcare workers (OHCW) are at an elevated risk of being infected with the virus because of their close contact with patients, who might be infected but show no visible symptoms. As OHCW are usually exposed to fluid and aerosols from the oral cavities of the patients, they have a high chance of getting infected. To help OHCW continue working in a high-risk environment while providing necessary treatment and care to patients, understanding their fear of getting infected and preparedness to handle the crisis is important. However, there exists a lack of systematic research on the perceived risk among OHCW for COVID-19 at the workplace.To address this gap, we conducted a survey-based study involving 583 OHCW working in ten dental hospitals in Pakistan. Based on their levels of patient interaction, we categorized the OHCW into two groups- the clinical group comprising dentists and dental assistants or hygienists, and the non-clinical group comprising dental laboratory technicians, attendants/cleaners, or personnel working in various managerial/clerical services related to oral healthcare. We gathered their views on how the pandemic had affected their lives as well as their concerns and preparedness to avoid the risk.We found that a majority the OHCW were worried about how the pandemic impacted their personal, social, and work lives. In comparison to OHCW working in a non-clinical setting, clinical OHCW experienced more stress and were more likely to be concerned about the risk of infection, their colleagues, or informing their families and friends about the risk. Concerned that their professional commitments could put their health at risk, more than half the OHCW thought the organizations they worked for were not well prepared to take adequate preventive measures. Few had attended any formal infection control training sessions, and most relied on practicing safety measures such as buying masks and disinfection at their personal capacity.These findings provide valuable insights into the psychological challenges that OHCW encounter while fulfilling their professional duties. They highlight the need for training with respect to infection control and organizational efforts for reducing the psychological impact among OHCW.