A perspective on dental activity during COVID-19: The Italian survey

Objectives: During the months of March and April 2020, Italy saw an exponential outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic. Dental practitioners were particularly limited in their routine activity, and the sole performance of urgent treatments was strongly encouraged during the peak of the epidemic. A survey among dental professionals was performed between 6th and 13th of April, in order to evaluate the status of dental practice during COVID-19 in Italy. Materials and Methods: An online anonymous questionnaire was administered to retrieve data on the dental procedures performed, the preventive measures adopted, and the predictions on the future changes in dentistry following the pandemic. Results: The survey was completed by 3,254 respondents and, according to the results obtained, dental activity was reduced by the 95% and limited to urgent treatments. The majority of the surveyed dentists employed additional personal protective equipment compared to normal routine, although in a non-negligible number of cases difficulty in retrieving the necessary equipment was reported. Conclusions: The survey provided a snapshot of dental activity during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Overall, following the peak of the epidemic, it is probable that dental activities will undergo some relevant changes prior to fully restart.