Fear and Perception of People to Visit Dentists during COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Suggestions

Abstract

Objectives This study was performed to determine patients' fear and perception of visiting dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was performed online using Google forms. Participants included individuals who had been to dental clinics for treatment. The data of 407 participants were analyzed. SPSS 21 was used for data entry and analysis. Demographic variables were expressed in numbers and percentages. The Chi-squared test was applied to analyze the difference between the demographic variables and fear among genders, age, and level of education. Results Due to the coronavirus's contagious nature, fear is prevalent among a significant number of patients (χ2 = 31.373, p < 0.001). Females are more afraid to visit the dentist than males (χ2 = 7.065, p = 0.008). The majority of the patients are not willing to go for dental treatment other than an emergency. Around two-thirds of the participants reported that their visit to the dentist during the current pandemic was reduced. Conclusion Due to the fear of COVID-19, patients are not willing to visit dentists for treatments. Therefore, dentists should build confidence by ensuring cross-infection control.