205 - COVID-19’s Effect on Access to Dental Care for Pediatric Patients

Purpose: Dental literature is available as to how the Covid-19 pandemic affected access to pediatric dental care, but there are few articles which investigate why it did. This study seeks to identify which factors caused pediatric dentists to adjust the ways they practiced during the re-opening period when elective dental care was allowed to resume.

Methods: A survey consisting of 24 questions was sent via Survey Monkey to 6,058 actively practicing pediatric dentist members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. The survey investigated the participants’ demographics, as well as changes that they may have made in the way they practice pediatric dentistry, including staff adjustments, use of teledentistry, infection prevention procedures, and personal protective equipment.  The survey also inquired about the mental health and concerns of the dentists and their staff during the reopening period. The data was collected over a 6-week period.

Results: Pending

Conclusion: Pending