CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 AND MEASURES IMPLEMENTED BY DENTAL PRACTITIONERS IN CAMBODIA

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in the attitude of dentists in Cambodia towards the pandemic and understand the newer measures implemented to restrict the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: A structured self-administered questionnaire was developed at the University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh and provided to the participants for data collection. The questionnaire was developed using Google survey to collect demographic data followed by information regarding the working conditions, newly implemented measures during the pandemic and the attitude of Cambodian dentists towards the threat of infections. Results: Out of a total of 130 dentists that were asked to fill up the online questionnaire a total of 103 Cambodian dentists responded which resulted in a response rate of 79.2%. 93.1% dentists felt that the current situation was risky in terms of infections and were unsure of when the situation would be normal. In terms of measures implemented almost 88.3% dentists had employed newer measures to control the spread of infections while 26.2% dentists were utilizing online and telephonic consultations for patient consultations and screening before their visits to the clinic. Conclusion: From the findings of this study, we can see that Cambodian dentists are well aware and have adequate knowledge regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and have employed measures to ensure that there is no spread of infection in a dental setting.