COVID-19 - the impact on wellbeing of the dental team in a secondary care urgent dental hub. Br Dent J 2021; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-021-3317-0
Why did you decide to undertake this study?
This study was carried out at a time when there were huge uncertainties within the dental workforce. We wanted to highlight the anxieties and stresses our team experienced but also to demonstrate the great adaptability of a dental hospital workforce, including nursing staff and clinicians. It was vital that we were able to demonstrate the true impact of the pandemic on mental wellbeing in the dental community.
Did any of the results surprise you?
The results were relatively predictable; however, it was warming to see how much teamwork was highlighted throughout all the focus group discussions, particularly at a time when the healthcare sector was battling a global pandemic. The sheer positivity drawn from these focus groups was extremely admirable and the adaptability to join our medical colleagues was highlighted throughout.
What do you think the next steps should be considering your findings?
The next focus following this study would be a post-pandemic analysis as the hospital returns to near normality, and to assess the dental hospital workforce on their anxieties and stresses. It would also be beneficial to measure these more objectively through anxiety scales pre- and post-pandemic to assess any evidence of any long-lasting mental wellbeing effects or post-traumatic stress disorders.