Article reposted from beckersdental.com
Dentists continue to show lower rates of COVID-19 infection compared to other health professionals, according to a recent study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.
Researchers conducted monthly surveys with U.S. dentists between June and November 2020 asking about COVID-19 testing received, symptoms and preventive procedures followed in their primary practice. One-third of initial respondents completed all six surveys. Of the total number of respondents, the cumulative COVID-19 infection prevalence rate was 2.6 percent during the six-month period, with incidence rates between 0.2 percent and 1.1 percent each month.
The cumulative COVID-19 prevalence rate for other health professionals ranged from 3.3 percent to 35.3 percent in June 2020.
The study is a continuation of a previous study published in October 2020, which also showed a lower infection rate among dentists compared to other health professionals. Additional studies are planned to examine use of personal protective equipment and infection control procedures, according to a May 24 press release.