Assessment of COVID-19 Infection Control Awareness, Attitudes, and Performance Among Dentists in Designated Clinics in Tehran

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, emphasizing the ongoing importance of understanding and managing infections. Dentists, facing a direct infection risk, require proper training, making an educational needs assessment essential to address knowledge gaps.

A comprehensive questionnaire assessing COVID-19 awareness, attitude, and performance among dentists was developed and validated. Administered to 181 participants in Tehran, the data underwent quantitative analysis using nonparametric tests.

Participants (98 men, 86 women) from healthcare centers in Tehran, with a mean age of 44 and 15.29 years of service, scored averages of 51.97, 77.01, and 61.92 in awareness, attitude, and performance, respectively. Significantly, the study revealed a relationship between years of service plus age and awareness scores. Gender also played a role, with men exhibiting higher performance mean values.

The study highlights the imperative for interventions to boost dentists' knowledge. Recommendations include workshops and informational brochures to enhance awareness and performance, particularly in the context of emerging pandemics.