Preventive practice, vaccine acceptance, and knowledge toward coronavirus disease-19: An online cross-sectional questionnaire-based report in Iranian dentists

The coronavirus disease (COVID) is predicted to cause serious mental health problems among healthcare providers (HCPs) especially dentists. Also understanding the influencing factors of the acceptance of COVID‑19 vaccination among HCPs are important aspects in the design of effective strategies to improve the vaccine coverage rate. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, vaccination acceptance, fear, and obsession, as well as the preventive practice behaviors of Iranian dentists and dental students in late 2020 toward COVID‑19.

A descriptive, web‑based cross‑sectional survey was conducted among Iranian dental students and dentists (general practitioners and specialists). All Iranian dentists and dental students living in the Islamic Republic of Iran regardless of their city and workplace were invited to participate in the study. The total number of dentists in Iran was estimated to be 54,927. The sample size was calculated 380. The questionnaires used in this study were adapted from previously published studies based on the authors’ permission. The questionnaire consisted of four sections that sought to collect information on the respondents’ vaccination acceptance, knowledge, preventive practice, fear, and obsession toward COVID‑19. The relationship between the study variables was assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and also multiple linear regression tests.

Overall, 394 dentists were filled the questionnaire (65 dental students, 151 general dentists and 178 specialists). There were no differences in terms of vaccination acceptance, knowledge and also fear score in different designation groups. Dentists had significantly higher obsession and also preventive practice scores than other designation groups (P < 0.05). The majority of respondents had good knowledge (more than 9), acceptable preventive practice (more than 19), low fear‑obsession (<2.7), and high acceptance of COVID‑19 vaccination (more than 8.8).

Although obsession and fear scores were low in all designation groups, dentists had higher obsession and also preventive practice scores than other designation groups. More than half of respondents preferred imported COVID‑19 vaccines. Finally, organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Public Health in Iran should increase vaccine convenience and accessibility in terms of vaccine importing, distribution, supply, and immunization service.