TABLE 1.
Perceived preparedness and anxieties among Indian dentists for patient care provision
| Preparedness and anxieties of dentists |
Number (of 403) |
% |
|---|---|---|
| Perceived preparedness | ||
| Purchase of PPE | ||
| No | 248 | 61.5 |
| Yes | 155 | 38.5 |
| Availability of N95 Masks | ||
| No | 225 | 55.8 |
| Yes | 172 | 44.8 |
| Requesting COVID−19 antibody test from patients | ||
| No | 9 | 2.2 |
| May be if the patient is symptomatic | 161 | 40.0 |
| Yes, all patients for aerosol‐generating treatment procedures | 233 | 57.8 |
| Provided emergency treatment within last month | ||
| No | 311 | 77.2 |
| Yes | 92 | 22.8 |
| Anxieties | ||
| Perceived confidence in commencing the dental practice at present during COVID−19 epidemic | ||
| Not confident at all | 144 | 35.7 |
| Hesitant | 219 | 54.3 |
| Confident | 38 | 9.4 |
| Fully confident | 2 | 0.6 |
| Main concern to commence the dental practice again | ||
| Risk of getting infected by a COVID−19 patient | 185 | 45.9 |
| Limited supply of PPE | 75 | 18.6 |
| Increased operational cost and unaffordable treatment cost | 143 | 35.5 |
Abbreviations: N95 masks, a mask which filters at least 95% of airborne particles; PPE, personal protective equipment.