Psychological Functioning of Patients Undergoing Oral Surgery Procedures during the Regime Related with SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has become a huge global challenge medically, economically and psychologically. The COVID-19 pandemic shows that the population can experience general psychological distress. The sanitary regime in dental offices and lack of vaccine for coronavirus may have an impact on the level of dental anxiety among patients undergoing oral surgery procedures. A clinical study was conducted between November 2019 and September 2020. A total of 175 patients (n = 175) were enrolled in the research. The aim of the study was to assess the attitude of patients towards the new situation related to the reduced availability of dental offices providing oral surgery procedures. The level of anxiety associated with surgical intervention was measured using a self-made COVID-19 questionnaire and the MDAS scale. The ED-5Q questionnaire and EQ-VAS scale were also used in this research. The study showed that 21.9% of respondents presented with increased anxiety about a dental visit compared with the time before the pandemic. This epidemiological situation has led to an overwhelming increase in moderate dental anxiety (M: 11.4) among patients undergoing oral surgery procedures. The quality of patients’ health (EQ-VAS) related to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the quarantine decreased by 10 percentage points. Oral surgeons should be prepared for more anxious patients in dental offices during the pandemic.