COVID-19 Vaccination among Czech Dentists

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• COVID-19 vaccination is crucial for public health.
• Understanding vaccination trends in healthcare professionals is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess COVID-19 vaccination coverage among Czech Dental Chamber members.
• To identify reasons for vaccination and vaccine hesitancy in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 2716 members of the Czech Dental Chamber.
• Data collection occurred between June 23 and September 4, 2021, during the pre-booster phase.
• Statistical analysis included calculating vaccination rates, odds ratios, and p-values.

Main Results:

• A high vaccination rate was observed, with 79.6% of respondents fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
• The primary motivation for vaccination was professional (91.5%), with Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech) being the most common vaccine.
• Vaccination rates among male dentists were significantly higher than females (OR 1.48, p=0.001).

Conclusions:

• Czech dentists exhibit high willingness and uptake for COVID-19 vaccination, significantly surpassing the general population.
• Professional obligations were the main driver for vaccination among dental professionals.
• Approximately 10% of dentists refused vaccination for non-medically relevant reasons.