In a new study from the University of Toronto, researchers found that dentists appear—perhaps counterintuitively—less likely than the general population to contract the COVID-19 virus.
The study was based on a sample of 644 licensed dentists across Canada from July 29, 200 to Feb. 12 of this year.
The team used an online questionnaire and self-collected oral swabs to track the incidence of COVID-19 among the study participants.
Six people reported catching COVID-19 during the study period.
The team showed the incidence rate was estimated to be 1,084 per 100,000 dentists, compared to 1,864 per 100,000 people in the general public during the same period.
They note that dentists take precautions to protect the public, patients and dental office staff from outbreaks.
This study further shows the safety of dental care. The profession’s ability to adapt quickly is shown in this study and the data is there that we remain a very safe profession.
The team cites a whole host of reasons for the relatively low infection rate observed in this study, including: personal protective equipment, increased awareness and the fact that dentists may be exercising extra caution outside of work.
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The study is published in The Journal of the American Dental Association. One author of the study is Michael Glogauer.
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