Introduction: The COVID 19 pandemic resulted in unforeseen upheavals in the health care sector. Every speciality of medicine and dentistry has witnessed immense changes in terms of patient attendance and care. There is a dire need to understand and analyse these trends, especially from the Prosthodontic perspective. This would in turn help us understand the nuances of patient attendance for future use
Methodology: The pattern of attendance of patients to a Prosthodontics department in an educational institute was studied. An observational database including demographics, treatment needs and the occurrence of emergencies was established pertaining to the patients who reported to the department during this Pandemic. All the relevant parameters were closely studied to set up a framework for future use.
Result: Patients reporting with dislodged and /or failing tooth as well as implant supported restorations required immediate attention during several phases of lockdown. Planned and predetermined cases such as infants requiring feeding plates and naso alveolar moulding insertion and adjustments were prominent in their attendance. Overall, the pandemic did reduce the reporting of patients for emergency and elective prosthetic procedures. This will help us re-evaluate the definition of emergencies and factors in certain parameters for future treatment protocols
Conclusion: Patient attendance is multifactorial. Establishment of protocols and guidelines for all possible patient presentation scenarios are essential for smooth functioning of Prosthodontic departments during times of emergencies