Effect of the Pandemic on the Frequency of Rubber-dam Use by Dentists: A Questionnaire Study

Year 2024, Volume: 13 Issue: 2, 328 - 336, 20.05.2024

Zübeyde Gökçe Ürün Gizem Kaplan Ali Cemal Tınaz

https://doi.org/10.54617/adoklinikbilimler.1388856

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to compare the frequency of rubber-dam usage by dentists in different specialties before and after the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Materials and Method: A questionnaire was delivered electronically to dentists in different specialties during May 2021. This questionnaire included questions about the demographics and professional backgrounds of the dentists and their opinions about and the frequencies of use of the rubber-dam. Additionally, whether their rubber-dam usage approaches were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic was also questioned.
Results: Seven hundred and fifty people responded to the questionnaire. Among the participants, 36.4% said that the frequency of using rubber-dams increased after the pandemic. Regardless of the specialty, the frequency of using rubber-dams decreased as the years of professional experience increased (P < 0.05). When specialties were considered, endodontists used rubber-dams during endodontic and restorative procedures significantly more often than the others (P < 0.05). When the workplaces were compared, it was seen that rubber-dams were used significantly more often in university clinics (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Despite the quality guideline recommendations, the use of rubber dams is still not at the desired level in Turkey; however, there has been an increase in the number of dentists using them since the pandemic.

Keywords

Pandemic, questionnaire, Rubber-dam

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by Gazi University Faculty of Dentistry Clinical Research Ethics Committee (GÜDHKAEK. 2021.05/1).

Supporting Institution

This study is not supported by any institution.

Pandeminin Diş Hekimlerinin Lastik Örtü Kullanım Sıklığına Etkisi: Anket Çalışması

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, farklı uzmanlık dallarındaki diş hekimlerinin koronavirüs hastalığı (COVID-19) salgını öncesi ve sonrasında lastik örtü kullanım sıklığını karşılaştırmayı amaçladı.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Mayıs 2021'de farklı uzmanlık dallarındaki diş hekimlerine elektronik ortamda bir anket gönderildi. Bu ankette diş hekimlerinin demografik bilgileri, mesleki geçmişleri, lastik örtü hakkındaki görüşleri ve kullanım sıklıkları hakkında sorular yer almaktaydı. Ayrıca, lastik ölçü kullanım yaklaşımlarının COVID-19 salgınından etkilenip etkilenmediği de sorgulandı.
Bulgular: İletilen ankete 750 kişi yanıt verdi. Katılımcıların %36.4'ü pandemi sonrasında lastik baraj kullanım sıklığının arttığını söyledi. Uzmanlık alanı ne olursa olsun mesleki deneyim yılı arttıkça lastik örtü kullanma sıklığının arttığı belirlendi (P<0.05). Uzmanlık alanları göz önüne alındığında, endodontistlerin endodontik ve restoratif işlemler sırasında diğerlerine göre önemli ölçüde daha fazla lastik örtü kullandığı görüldü (P < 0.05). İşyerleri karşılaştırıldığında üniversite kliniklerinde lastik örtülerin anlamlı olarak daha sık kullanıldığı görüldü (P<0.05). Sonuç: Kalite rehberi önerilerine rağmen Türkiye'de lastik örtü kullanımı hala istenilen düzeyde değildir; ancak pandemi başladıktan sonra bunları kullanan diş hekimlerinin sayısında artış olmuştur.

Keywords

Anket, Lastik örtü, Pandemi

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma Gazi Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi Klinik Araştırmalar Etik Kurulu tarafından onaylanmıştır (GÜDHKAEK. 2021.05/1).

Supporting Institution

Çalışma hiçbir kurum tarafından desteklenmemektedir.

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