The Covid-19 pandemic has globally influenced how people interact, communicate and work. We are conducting a study to assess the level of knowledge and preparedness of dental professionals for Covid-19 among public and private dental sectors in Saudi Arabia, IRB Approval (Ref. IRB-2021-DOH-021). We are inviting you to fill out the questionnaire. Please be informed that your identity will be completely anonymous and there are no consequences for refusing to participate. Your participation is voluntary.

If you have any inquire, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Maha Al Harbi, Msc Dental Public health.
Lecturer, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences.
malharbi@psmchs.edu.sa
Co-investigators:
Dr.Abdulaziz Al Qahtani
Reema Al Joaib
Bashayer Al Bassam

Background: Twitter is a powerful platform which could be used to reflect on the demand and supply of dental services during a pandemic. The aim of this study was to examine the nature and dissemination of COVID-19 information related to dentistry on Twitter platform Arabic database during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodology: One hundred and fifty independent searches with a combination of keywords for both COVID-19 and dentistry from a preselected Arabic keyword were carried out for the period from the 2nd of March (first confirmed cases of COVID-19) to the 6th of July 2020. Tweets were filtered to remove duplicate and unrelated tweets. The suitable tweets were 1,150. After calibration, two examiners coded the tweets following two main themes: COVID-19 and oral health-related information. Tweets were then compared with COVID-19 daily events in the Arab countries as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Descriptive analysis was performed to present the overview of the findings using Microsoft Excel.
Results: The most retweeted information was the help with urgent consultation or emergency dental treatment during COVID-19 tweeted by a dentist. There were 673 retweets and 1,116 likes of this tweet. The most common tweets related to oral health were needs of dental treatment (n=462, 39.5%) of which, toothaches or wisdom tooth problems constituted 48% of the related tweets.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is obvious that social media users reacted to the COVID-19 threat to dental practices. Twitter as one of the social media platforms served as a connection between dental health professionals and patients.

Aim

To investigate the dentists’ opinions towards social media (SM) use in daily practice and the expected limitations from its use in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

An electronic survey was carried out throughout May–June 2020 among a sample of dentists in Saudi Arabia. The survey covered three parts: the first part covered professional and demographic information, the second part covered the use of mobile phones and SM in dental practice, while the third part assessed dentists’ opinion on SM use. Descriptive statistics included frequency distributions and percentages and independent t test/ANOVA test for the relationship between the mean of dentists’ opinion towards SM and demographic variables. A p value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant.

Results

The majority of respondents (80%) believe that SM plays an active role in patients’ decisions regarding the selection of a healthcare provider. The mean dentists’ opinion scores on the use of SM were significantly lower among participants working more than 50 h per week compared with other participants (p?=?0.014).

Conclusion

The majority of sampled dentists believe that SM plays an active role in patients’ decisions regarding the healthcare provider’s selection. Directed campaigns can help dentists optimize the use of SM for both professional and personal purposes.

Abstract

Background

Dental offices are among the highest risk for transmission of the COVID-19, having the potential to transmit the virus via routine dental procedures. This cross-sectional study assessed the preparedness and perception of infection control measures against the COVID-19 pandemic by dentists in Saudi Arabia.

Materials and methods

This online survey addressed the impact and perception of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental practice in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised 26 closed-ended questions. Descriptive statistics included frequency distributions with percentages. In addition, the significance between the different demographic variables and questions about dentists’ perception of the COVID-19 pandemic was tested using the Chi-square test.

Results

COVID-19 management in dental clinics varied in terms of adherence to the Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines. Dental clinics’ screening questionnaire for patients showed good adherence (67%), while the lowest agreement was detected with the question on the existence of an airborne infection in the isolation room (15%). Almost two-thirds of the respondents agreed that the dental reception area adopted the proper COVID-19 preventive measures. Greatest accord was observed in their answers on questions about dentists’ perception of the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from 64%–89%. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in questions about the perception of dentists towards the COVID-19 pandemic by different demographic variables such as age and years of work experience (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The response of most dentists regarding the preparedness and perception of infection control measures against the COVID-19 pandemic was positive. Dental clinics need to adhere more to the MOH recommendations in preparedness of their facilities or by educating their dentists and staff.

Background

Teledentistry is believed to improve dental care provided to patients and time management efficiency. In addition, teledentistry can be a useful tool for peer education, consultations and ensures proper channeling for referrals.

Objective

This study aimed to explore Saudi Arabian dental professionals’ perceptions of teledentistry’s benefits in improving dental practice and patient care.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study involving an electronic survey of a sample of Saudi Arabian dental professionals. A validated 26-item, 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire was used to assess perceptions of dental professionals in four domains: usefulness of teledentistry for patients, the usefulness of teledentistry for dental practice; the potential of teledentistry to improve practice; and existing concerns about the use of teledentistry. Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis using SPSS software. Significant differences were considered at a p-value of 0.05.

Results

With an overall response rate of 28.6%, 286 dental professionals participated in the study. More than 70% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that teledentistry would improve dental practice through enhancing communication with peers, guidance and referral of new patients. A substantial proportion of respondents (60–70%) expressed uncertainty with technical reliability, privacy and diagnostic accuracy. The participants’ qualification was statistically significant with usefulness of teledentistry for patients (p = 0.027), while work experience in years was statistically significant with both usefulness of teledentistry for dental practice and patients (p = 0.046 and <0.0001 respectively).

Conclusion

Generally, the feedback gained by this study showed readiness of the dental professionals to be engaged in the teledentistry approach. Further investigation of the business model of teledentistry is needed to understand the readiness and challenges. Directed campaign to educate dentists and the public of the technology and it is potential is necessary.

Muteb Alshammari, BS, MS, PhD
Department of Health Informatics, School of Public Health and Health Informatics

The beginning of this decennia has been branded in mankind’s memory as one of the worst sanitary crises (2019-nCoV) that has so far claimed hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide. This time, however, matters have been managed rather differently as technological advances allowed countries to closely follow the spread and act upon it to curb further damage. Indeed, fighting such a serious disease requires fast large-scale measures as well as instruments that would enable faster diagnoses and treatment delivery, as well as prevention tools, which is easier said than done when dealing with billions of people underrating the situation.  

Tech Innovation in Times of Pandemic

Some countries displayed better skills than others at the head of the train Asian countries, as they have displayed an arsenal of technologies. Some might think they had more time to learn and adapt. Yet, the truth is they faced it first and have been leading the fight against the COVID-19 with advanced technological instruments that have been widely deemed subversive and violating human rights. Yet, those same tools are seemingly effective and helped Asian countries get the upper hand on the virus. 

Tracking, Informing and Preventing More Spread

Governments have used CCTVs and GPS data provided by phones to track people’s whereabouts. This enables us to pinpoint infected patients’ whereabouts prior to quarantine, to find out where they went, what they did, and who they met. Thus, setting perimeter of risk areas and identifying people that might have been exposed. The countries that have extensively used such technics to restrain a wider spread were South Korea, Singapore, China, and Taiwan. 

A total of fifteen countries so far have successfully developed tracking apps, such as Singapore, China, Isreal, Ghana, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, etc., just to name a few. Singapore was one of the first countries to launch an app using a digital contact tracking protocol as a response to the COVID-19 in mid-March. The Singaporean government has developed an app called TraceTogether that uses the BlueTrace protocol. 

Likewise, mobile apps have also been used to inform and help people navigate this crisis. Major Chinese tech behemoths – Tencent and Alibaba – have developed the Health Code (???) app that attributes people colored QR codes. The app compiles all the information on health status and travel history collected by the Chinese government. The service is accessible through WeChat and Alipay and attributes both locals and foreigners a color (green, yellow, or red) based on their health condition and risk level. The QR code is then scanned by local authorities to prevent high-risk individuals from traveling and entering public areas where they could infect more people. There have been slight update bugs that would show the wrong color for a small number of users, but deleting and reinstalling fixes the issue. This app has permitted China to restore a normal routine without suffering a dreaded second wave so far. 

Surviving the Crisis and Discovering New Lifestyles

Massive lockdowns and broad strict distancing policies have left people stuck home in a floating state, deprived of all the means to complete their daily routines. This pandemic pushed us to adapt to a new model of work from home based on social platforms and apps that enable us to organize online meetings, classes, interviews, medical consultations, etc. Companies, schools, and universities have all been functioning via using apps such as Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Tencent Meeting, Alibaba Cloud Conference, etc. The word went virtual and has acquired some habits that experts say could stay with us. 

Informational mobile apps have also been very commonly used for prevention purposes. For instance, the South Korean Corona 100m or CoronaMap that use GPS to track locations and supervise citizens’ quarantine locations. If an individual using this mobile app comes within 100 meters radius of an infected person, they automatically receive a push notification warning them of the situation. Likewise, they track locations where infected individuals have been and the facilities they have used. The main purpose of this functionality is to encourage users to avoid such risky areas.

A plethora of mobile apps has been designed specially to help people and governments safely navigate this pandemic. The last couple of weeks have enabled us to notice how mobile apps have been a critical weapon in this fight. Indeed, tracking apps have helped save countless lives by significantly reducing infection rates and quickly identifying potentially infected people. Therefore, these mobile apps have all been proven effective to a certain extent. Yet, despite its highly controversial features, China’s color-coding apps (Health Code) seem to stand out from the lot.

References:

1. Brohi, Sarfraz&Brohi, Nida&Brohi, M Nawaz. (2020). Key Applications of State-of-the-Art Technologies to Mitigate and Eliminate COVID-19. 10.36227/techrxiv.12115596.
2. Ten technologies to fight coronavirus, EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service Author: MihalisKritikos Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA) PE 641.543 – April 2020
3. Ting, D.S.W., Carin, L., Dzau, V. et al. Digital technology and COVID-19. Nat Med 26, 459–461 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0824-5
4. How countries are using technology to fight coronavirus, G SEETHARAMANET Bureau | Updated: Mar 29, 2020, 09.59 AM IST

5. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/how-countries-are-using-technology-to-fight-coronavirus/articleshow/74867177.cms
6. https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/roundup-techs-role-tracking-testing-treating-covid-19
7. https://thejournalofmhealth.com/how-technology-is-helping-healthcare-practitioners-combat-the-covid-19-pandemic/
8. https://www.techuk.org/insights/opinions/item/17236-how-tech-is-helping-the-nhs-fight-covid-19
9. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-04-2020-who-timeline—covid-19
10. https://en.as.com/en/2020/04/18/other_sports/1587167182_422066.html
11. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/12/asia/coronavirus-south-korea-testing-intl-hnk/index.html
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_apps

– Sir William Osler

During our internship at King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, we encountered a female patient in periodontics clinic with the periodontist; Dr. Fatimah Meshikhes. The patient was referred for treatment of  gingival enlargement that she noticed on her maxillary and mandibular anterior gingival tissues. 

During physical examination, we noticed multiple hyperpigmented areas on the facial skin, fingernails and toenails. Intraorally and in addition to the gingival enlargement that she was complaining of, multiple asymptomatic brown hyperpigmented patches in the buccal mucosa, palate, gingiva and dorsal surface of the tongue were found. Upon reviewing the patient’s medical and dental history, we found that she was diagnosed with polycythemia Vera (PV) and has been under Hydroxyurea therapy (HU) in the past one year.

Polycythemia vera is a medical condition that is associated with increased blood hyperviscosity and subsequent thrombosis. Hydroxyurea therapy is one of the first line medications used to reduce the risk of thrombotic events by decreasing the overall production of blood cells in the bone marrow. 

Initially we were unsure what the cause of the pigmentation was. The patient was told by her physician that what she has on her tongue might be a bruise. From the previously collected data about the patient’s medical history, reviewing literature and taking the consultation of a dermatologist, we were able to roll out other possible related causes or medical conditions and reach the final diagnosis of it being a HU-associated side effect. Although extremely rare, HU-associated oral hyperpigmentation is one of the side effects that could occur along with more commonly reported side effects such as mucocutaneous lesions and dark hyperpigmentation of skin folds and nails.

Looking deeply into the dental and medical literature, we found that only 9 cases of HU-associated oral manifestations were reported to date, with the majority (89%) occurred following HU treatment for conditions other than PV. This clinical case is the 10th case reporting oral side effects due to HU and the first to report HU?associated hyperpigmentation affecting the palatal mucosa and gingiva. The case report discusses and analyzes the usage of HU and its unusual oral side effects. Furthermore, it presents the previous well-documented cases of the similar oral and dermal complications caused by HU. 

We aim through the published clinical report to raise awareness of the unusual symptoms and rare presentations that are associated with HU, which can be also the case with other drugs or medical conditions that might be encountered in our daily practice. 

• For more details on the case report:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ccr3.3012