“Lessons to Be Learned After the Storm”—A Retrospective Study on the Characteristics and Management of Dental Emergency Patients During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Riyadh

TL;DR

This study examines dental emergency patients during the early stages of the COVID-19 lockdown in Riyadh, focusing on treatment quality and specialist roles.

Contribution

The study identifies the impact of specialist type on the appropriateness of dental diagnoses and treatments during a pandemic.

Findings

General dentists were more likely to provide inappropriate dental care during the lockdown.

Residents and resident endodontists were more likely to provide appropriate care.

The study highlights the need for more endodontists in dental emergency care during health crises.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: There is a limited understanding of the variables relating to dental patients and the treatment provided during the initial phase of the COVID-19 lockdown in our region. This study aimed to qualitatively analyze these patient variables and determine the associations between treatment recommendations and the specialty of the doctor at the point of care. Methods: The present study was retrospective, cross-sectional, and analytical in nature. Data regarding symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and the attending specialist were retrieved from the patient management software for patients seeking emergency dental services during the COVID-19 lockdown (23 March 2020 to 23 April 2020) in primary and tertiary public hospitals of the National Guard Health Affairs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The association between exploratory (symptoms, diagnostic tool, specialist at point of care) and dependent variables (given diagnosis and treatment) was assessed using Fisher’s exact test and multinomial regression analysis. Results: A total of 151 dental patients attended the outpatient/emergency clinics during this period. The mean age of the patients in this study was 31.4 (±19.0) years. Compared to physicians, general dentists [OR 0.56, CI 0.29–10.47] were more likely to give an inappropriate diagnosis and treatment, whereas residents [OR 2.70, CI 1.65–98.17] and resident endodontists [OR 2.30, CI 1.28–78.11] were more likely to give an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the need for a greater number of endodontists at the forefront of screening and providing dental care during such health catastrophes.