Infection Control Practices at the Dental Clinics in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The aims of this study were to determine the rate of compliance of infection control and estimate the incidence of COVID-19 in dental clinics in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

This is an ecological correlational study of randomly sampled dental clinics in the city of Jeddah. The 32-question survey used in the study was constructed based on the infection control guidelines/protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic released by the ADA, CDC, and SMOH. A sample of clinics from a dental clinic list in Jeddah city, using a simple random technique.

Fifty-three dental clinics consented to participate in our study, while ten refused. Most of the dental clinics checked their patients' temperature (30.2%) and strictly required them to wear a surgical mask before entering the clinic (58.5%). Glove, gown, and face mask were the most common methods of infection control used during all dental procedures (98.1%, 96.2%, and 94.3%, respectively). Moreover, the incidence of COVID-19 was the highest among receptions/security (18.70%), followed by nurses (14.3%) and dentists (11.79%).

As the incidence of COVID-19 among dental staff will continue to increase in the future, it is highly recommended that infection control guidelines are followed in all dental clinics.