Sanaz Sadry - Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Aydin University, Istanbul, Turkey
Zeynep Sapan - PhD Candidate, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Aydin University, Istanbul, Turkey

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) is contagious by respiratory droplets and cloase contact of individuals, so dentists are at high risk of infection and have become possible carriers of the disease. For this reason, it is of great importance for public health that dentists have sufficient knowledge by increasing their awareness on this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge level of dentists about COVID-۱۹ [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-۲ (SARS-CoV-۲)] and to evaluate the factors affecting their knowledge, and also to investigate their attitudes while performing their profession during the pandemic according to their perception of COVID-۱۹.METHODS: ۸۸ private practice dentists and ۲۲۲ public dentists participated in this study. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, the individuals participating in the study were asked ۱۷ questions consisting of three parts online.RESULTS: Of the ۳۱۰ participants, ۱۸۷ (۶۰.۳%) were female and ۱۲۳ (۳۹.۷%) were male. The mean age of the participantts was ۲۹.۲ ± ۷.۳ years. In terms of COVID-۱۹ transmission, it was found that dentists who had more than ۲۰ years of professional experience, had more knowledge about transmission routes (P < ۰.۰۵). It was also found that ۴۶.۴% of the dentists with ۰-۶ years of experience in sterilization preferred the pressurized steam sterilization method, and the same group used ۴۱.۵% alcohol and ۳۴.۳% sodium hypochlorite for disinfection (P < ۰.۰۱). More than half of the participants displayed a positive attitude towards the use of the current protective equipment.CONCLUSION: The groups showed a similar attitude and awareness level in terms of the parameters evaluated in the study. However, in order to control the COVID-۱۹ transmission and its process, dentists need to shape their perceptions and attitudes with accurate and up-to-date information.

COVID-۱۹, dentists, awareness, Knowledge, Attitude