Impact of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Egyptian dentists’ fear and dental practice (a cross-sectional survey)

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the fear of infection among Egyptian dentists practicing during the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to explore the dentist's knowledge about guidelines to fight the virus and to assess various modifications in dental practice. METHODS: An online survey was submitted to dental professionals. Data were collected through a validated questionnaire consisting of 23 closed-ended questions. The gathered data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: An overall 216 dentists completed the survey. A total of 200 (92.6%) dental professionals were afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19 while 196 (90.7%) became anxious to treat patients showing suspicious symptoms. The majority of the participants were aware of the mode of transmission of COVID-19 and a lot of them were updated with the current Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for cross-infection control. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on dental professionals.