Patient's perception of hygiene in the dental practice after COVID-19.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted various sectors, including healthcare. The dental profession has faced unprecedented challenges in providing care while minimizing the risk of transmission. The aim of the study is to assess how patient's perception of hygiene in the dental field has changed since COVID-19. In detail, it has been analyzed patient's attention to hygiene and how in his opinion the dental practice changed its procedures after COVID-19.

Methods: A questionnaire consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions was submitted to 509 subjects, patients of several dental practices. These were related to: 1) change in their perception of hygiene after COVID-19; 2) how the office they usually go to has changed and what hygiene standards it has adopted; 3) vaccination against COVID-19. Descriptive analyses of all variables in the questionnaire were performed, and statistical analyses between variables were carried out by Chi-square test and Fisher's Exact Test.

Results: Most patients (75.8%) stated that they had changed their perception of hygiene after the onset of COVID-19. They reported that they had experienced changes in hygiene procedures at their usual dental practice (70.7%), including rinsing with chlorhexidine mouthwash, continuous air and water disinfection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Vaccination of practitioners was considered to be important by 73.5% of participants.

Conclusions: In the present study it was analyzed how emergence of the new Coronavirus has considerably changed the perception of patient hygiene within the dental practice. As a result of the awareness implemented to prevent virus transmission, patients are paying more attention to hygiene and preventive procedures to protect their health.