Utilization of dental services amidst new protocols during the covid-19 pandemic among residents of selected communities

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine how people in a community respond to the new protocols regarding dental care access and utilization of dental services. It sought to answer what makes people decide to utilize or not the dental services along identified areas of utilization as follows: frequency of dental visit, type of dental care facility, type of service availed of, and accessibility. An online survey questionnaire to determine the status of utilization of dental services amidst the pandemic among residents of selected communities was used. The chi-square test was used to determine the dependency relation between the independent variables and the moderator variable of community. There were 740 respondents that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the respondents never visited a dental care facility during the pandemic. The top-ranking dental facility visited or preferred is the private clinic. Among those who availed of services, first in rank is oral prophylaxis and next is consultation. A higher percentage use private transportation to go the dental facility and most of them get there within 10 to 30 minutes. Lockdown is a reason not to go to the dental facility. Cost is also a factor not to avail of dental services. Most of the respondents still opt to visit the dental facility, if needed, regardless of new protocols. Majority of the respondents consider the COVID-19 pandemic a general reason to not avail of dental services. There is dependency relation between all the areas/indicators of utilization and the variable of community. The residents of the selected communities take into consideration the situations brought about by the pandemic in their decision to utilize/avail dental services.

Keywords: utilization, dental services, new protocols, covid19 pandemic, residents