Table 1.
Demographic and COVID-19 Related Questions and Answers
| Section 1: Demographic questions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | What is your gender? | n = 444 | |||
| Male | 324 (73%) | ||||
| Female | 120 (27%) | ||||
| Other | 0 | ||||
| Q2 | How many years have you been in practice? | n = 447 | |||
| 0–5 | 61 (13.6%) | ||||
| 6–10 | 62 (13.9%) | ||||
| 11–20 | 109 (24.4%) | ||||
| 21–30 | 85 (19%) | ||||
| 31–40 | 84 (18.8%) | ||||
| More than 40 | 46 (10.3%) | ||||
| Q3 | What best describes the nature of your practice? | n = 443 | |||
| Solo endodontist | 170 (38.4%) | Other specified (2.7%) | |||
| Group of endodontists | 182 (41.1%) | Full-time practice 32 y and full-time academia 18 y | 7 | ||
| Corporate | 19 (4.3%) | Retired | 1 | ||
| Military | 11 (2.5%) | VA | 1 | ||
| Multi-specialty | 10 (2.3%) | Locum tenens/part-time educator | 1 | ||
| Community/public health | 0 | 1 | |||
| Faculty practice | 8 (1.8%) | General practice office in-house endodontics and part-time teaching | 1 | ||
| Full-time educator | 19 (4.3%) | ||||
| Part-time educator | 9 (2.0%) | ||||
| Volunteer educator | 0 | ||||
| No teaching | 1 (0.2%) | ||||
| Hospital | 2 (0.5%) | ||||
| Other | 12 (2.7%) | ||||
| Q4 | Which best describes the nature of your practice? | n = 454 | |||
| Endodontist | 454 (100%) | ||||
| General dentist providing endodontic treatment | 0 | ||||
| Oral surgeon providing endodontic treatment | 0 | ||||
| Periodontist providing endodontic treatment | 0 | ||||
| Pediatric dentist providing endodontic treatment | 0 | ||||
| Q5 | How would you describe the location of your practice? | n = 446 | |||
| Rural | 33 (7.4%) | ||||
| Urban | 168 (37.7%) | ||||
| Suburban | 245 (54.9%) | ||||
| Q6 | In which state do you currently reside? | n = 381 | |||
| AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL | AL (n = 2), AK (n = 1), AZ (n = 13), AR (n = 3), CA (n = 48), CO (n = 12), CT (n = 4) | ||||
| IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, Ml, MN, MS, MO, MT | DE (n = 0), DC (n = 2), DE (n = 0), FL (n = 13), GA (n = 6), HI (n = 2), ID (n = 5), IL (n = 15) | ||||
| NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR | IN (n = 8), IA (n = 1), KS (n = 2), KY (n = 2), LA (n = 3), ME (n = 1), MD (n = 19) | ||||
| RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY | MA (n = 10), MI (n = 10), MN (n = 10), MS (n = 0), MO (n = 10), MT (n = 1), NE (n = 0) | ||||
| NV (n = 4), NH (n = 2), NJ (n = 9), NM (n = 3), NY (n = 21), NC (n = 19), ND (n = 1) | |||||
| OH (n = 14), OK (n = 0), OR (n = 10), PA (n = 18), PR (n = 1), RI (n = 0), SC (n = 7) | |||||
| SD (n = 0), TN (n = 7), TX (n = 23), UT (n = 2), VT (n = 1), VA (n = 12), WA (n = 7) | |||||
| WV (n = 4), WI (n = 0), WY (n = 2) | |||||
| Q7 | In which AAE district do you currently reside? | n = 395 | |||
| I (DE, DC, MA, MD, ME, NH, PA, VT, VA) | 65 (16.5%) | ||||
| II (CT, NJ, NY, RI) | 37 (9.4%) | ||||
| III (FL, GA, NC, SC, TN) | 58 (14.7%) | ||||
| IV (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, WV, IN) | 59 (14.9%) | ||||
| V (AL, AR, AZ, LA, MS, NM, OK, PR, TX, VI, United States Armed Services, Veteran's Administration) | 54 (13.7%) | ||||
| Army, Navy, Veterans Administration, Virgin Islands | |||||
| VI (AK, CO, Guam, HI, ID, IA, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE | 70 (17.7%) | ||||
| NV, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY) | |||||
| VII (CA) | 52 (13.2%) | ||||
| Q8 | Are you Board Certified? | n = 395 | |||
| Yes | 148 (37.5%) | ||||
| Eligible | 173 (43.8%) | ||||
| None | 74 (18.7%) | ||||
| Section 2: COVID-19 pandemic-related questions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q9 | Have you returned to your practice? | n = 397 | |||
| No | 19 (4.8%) | ||||
| 25% | 9 (2.3%) | ||||
| 50% | 25 (6.3%) | ||||
| 75% | 41 (10.3%) | ||||
| 100% | 299 (75.3%) | ||||
| Emergency only | 4 (1%) | ||||
| Q10 | Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the number of patients in your practice when compared with the same time a year ago? | n = 395 | |||
| No effect | 94 (24%) | ||||
| Decrease | 284 (72%) | ||||
| Increase | 17 (4%) | ||||
| Q11 | Are you taking part in endodontic care in front-line treatment of dental patients? | n = 397 | |||
| Yes | 322 (82%) | ||||
| No | 69 (18%) | ||||
| Q12 | What do you classify as an emergency? | n = 397 | |||
| Please select all that apply | Swelling | 325 (81.9%) | |||
| Trauma | 326 (82.1%) | ||||
| Pain | 302 (76.1%) | ||||
| Postoperative complication | 237 (59.7%) | ||||
| Loss of crown or temporary filling | 79 (19.9%) | ||||
| All of the above | 139 (35%) | ||||
| Q13 | Which best describe your current patient COVID-19 screening techniques? | n = 396 | |||
| Please select all that apply | Written questionnaire | 307 (77.5%) | |||
| Oral questions | 349 (88%) | ||||
| Taking patient body temperature | 373 (94.2%) | ||||
| RT-PCR | 8 (2%) | ||||
| Another paid COVID-19 test | 3 (0.7%) | ||||
| Chest x-ray | 0 | ||||
| Q14 | Which of the following do you identify as a positive response in your current patient screening techniques? | n = 397 | |||
| Please select all that apply | Body temperature higher than 100°F (38°C) | 371 (93.5%) | Other specified | ||
| Cough | 352 (88.7%) | COVID-19 test ordered all aerosol-generating | 1 (0.3%) | ||
| Sore throat | 281 (70.8%) | procedures | |||
| Shortness of breath | 339 (85.4%) | Temperature 100.4°F | 2 (0.5%) | ||
| Flu-like symptoms | 376 (94.7%) | Temperature over 101°F | 1 (0.3%) | ||
| Muscle pain | 207 (52.1%) | COVID or no COVID, I would not want to see | 1 (0.3%) | ||
| Red or painful eyes, itching, or scratchy eyes | 102 (25.7%) | patients with any symptoms | |||
| Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain | 234 (58.9%) | Diagnosis within the last 2 weeks of COVID-19 | 1 (0.3%) | ||
| Loss of smell | 349 (87.9%) | ||||
| Runny nose | 162 (40.8%) | ||||
| Changes in toe or new toe condition | 78 (19.6%) | ||||
| Around someone diagnosed with COVID-19 | 327 (82.4%) | ||||
| Pulse oximeter below 90% | 132 (33.2%) | ||||
| Travel history | 298 (75.1%) | ||||
| Other (please specify) | 6 (1.5%) | ||||
| Q15 | Are patients cooperative with added screening measures? | n = 391 | |||
| Yes | 385 (98%) | ||||
| No | 6 (2%) | ||||
| Q16 | Which of the following best describe the special measures you are now taking beyond regular PPE? | n = 397 | |||
| Please select all that apply | N95 respirator face mask | 330 (83.1%) | Other specified (9.8%) | ||
| Face shield | 234 (58.9%) | Plastic shield from the microscope | 1 | ||
| Protective suit | 146 (36.8%) | Retired | 1 | ||
| Head cover | 219 (55.2%) | Closed eye goggles | 1 | ||
| Shoe covers | 62 (15.6%) | Respirator mask | 1 | ||
| Oral aerosol vacuum | 67 (16.9%) | Level 3 surgical mask | 1 | ||
| Plexiglass aerosol shield for microscope | 114 (28.7%) | Just go fogger | 1 | ||
| Cold fogging | 38 (9.6%) | Window fan exhausting outdoors | 1 | ||
| Negative pressure operatory for treating COVID-19 | 13 (3.3%) | Goggles | |||
| positive or suspected patients | Air purifier in building central air | 1 | |||
| Air purifying unit | 168 (42.3%) | K95 | 1 | ||
| Nothing special | 23 (5.8%) | UVC light for OP disinfection | 1 | ||
| Other | 39 (9.8%) | K95 mask due to lack of N95 availability | 1 | ||
| Ventilation units | 1 | ||||
| Oral pre-rinse, bathe the tooth with rubbing alcohol | 1 | ||||
| and sodium hypochlorite after placing dental can | |||||
| and before using high speed | |||||
| UV light in between patients | 1 | ||||
| Q17 | Are you concerned about contracting or spreading SARS-CoV-2? | n = 374 | |||
| Strongly agree | 147 (39.3%) | ||||
| Agree | 92 (24.6%) | ||||
| Somewhat agree | 65 (17.4%) | ||||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 23 (6.1%) | ||||
| Somewhat disagree | 14 (3.7%) | ||||
| Disagree | 19 (5.1%) | ||||
| Strongly disagree | 14 (3.7%) | ||||
| Q18 | Do you believe the rubber dam reduces the chance of COVID-19 cross infection from routine endodontic procedure? | n = 373 | |||
| Strongly agree | 110 (29.5%) | ||||
| Agree | 124 (33.2%) | ||||
| Somewhat agree | 100 (26.8%) | ||||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 12 (3.20%) | ||||
| Somewhat disagree | 11 (2.9%) | ||||
| Disagree | 12 (3.2%) | ||||
| Strongly disagree | 4 (1.1%) | ||||
| Q19 | Are you worried about the effect of COVID-19 on your practice of endodontics? | n = 374 | |||
| Yes | 298 (80%) | ||||
| No | 76 (20%) | ||||
| Q20 | What is the reason behind your worries? | n = 396 | |||
| Please select all that apply | I will become infected | 243 (23.7%) | |||
| My family will become infected | 262 (25.5%) | ||||
| My staff will become infected | 287 (28%) | ||||
| My patients will become infected | 234 (22.8%) | ||||
| Q21 | Do you agree with the COVID-19 phase in your state? | n = 374 | |||
| Strongly agree | 59 (15.8%) | ||||
| Agree | 142 (38%) | ||||
| Somewhat agree | 79 (21.1%) | ||||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 25 (6.7%) | ||||
| Somewhat disagree | 17 (4.5%) | ||||
| Disagree | 30 (8%) | ||||
| Strongly disagree | 22 (5.9%) | ||||
| Q22 | In what phase of COVID-19 recovery is your state? | n = 354 | |||
| 1 | 26 (7.3%) | ||||
| 2 | 124 (35%) | ||||
| 3 | 110 (31.1% | ||||
| 4 | 45 (12.7%) | ||||
| 5 | 2 (0.6%) | ||||
| 6 | 1 (0.3%) | ||||
| Other | 46 (13%) | ||||
| Q23 | Are staff worried about chronic effects of COVID-19? | n = 374 | |||
| Strongly agree | 69 (18.4%) | Other specified (0.5%) | |||
| Agree | 113 (30.2%) | My staff enjoys being on unemployment and will not | 1 | ||
| Somewhat agree | 78 (20.9%) | return. I have sold my practice and am now retired. | |||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 61 (16.3%) | Unsure | 1 | ||
| Somewhat disagree | 14 (3.7%) | ||||
| Disagree | 30 (8%) | ||||
| Strongly disagree | 7 (1.9%) | ||||
| Other | 2 (0.5%) | ||||
| Q24 | Please rate the order of importance of the following protection measuresagainst COVID-19. | n = 369 | |||
| N95 respirator face mask, hand wash, hand sanitizer | 200 (54.2%) | ||||
| Hand wash, hand sanitizer, N95 respirator face mask | 74 (20.1%) | ||||
| Hand sanitizer, N95 respirator face mask, hand wash | 10 (2.7%) | ||||
| Hand sanitizer, hand wash, N95 respirator face mask | 5 (1.4%) | ||||
| Hand wash, N95 respirator face mask, hand sanitizer | 65 (17.6%) | ||||
| N95 respirator face mask, hand sanitizer, hand wash | 15 (4.1%) | ||||