ArticleBMJ open2021
Attitudes, stressors and work outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic among dental assistants in Germany: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.
- Key determinants of health and wellbeing of dental nurses: a rapid review of over two decades of research.BDJ open · 2025Article
- Psychological Impact of COVID-19 in the Setting of Dentistry: A Review Article.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has posed great challenges to medical professionals worldwide. Dental assistants (DAs) are at exceptionally high risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 due to frequent and close patient contact and involvement in various high-risk dental procedures. This study aimed to investigate attitudes, stressors and work outcomes among DAs from all over Germany at the peak of cases in spring 2020.
designCross-sectional study. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression.
settingDental, maxillofacial surgery and orthodontic practices across Germany, April 2020.
participantsParticipants aged 18 years and above and currently working as DAs in Germany. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: A self-devised online questionnaire was employed comprising questions on SARS-CoV-2-related attitudes, stressors and work outcomes. Validated scales assessed symptoms of depression and anxiety.
resultsAmong 1481 participating DAs (median age 35 years, 98.4% female, 91.8% working in dental practices), major stressors were uncertainty about the pandemic's temporal scope (97.9% agreement, n=1450), uncertainty about one's financial situation (87.8%, n=1301), uncertainty about how to act correctly (87.6%, n=1298) and thoughts about a possible infection during work (83.8%, n=1241). Forty-two per cent of DAs (n=622) felt sufficiently prepared for dealing with patients with SARS-CoV-2. Only 17.5% (n=259) agreed that material for personal protection was sufficiently available. Multivariable logistic regression analyses suggested that working in a dental practice, compared with orthodontic and maxillofacial surgery practices, was significantly associated with uncertainty about one's financial situation (OR 2.13 (95% CI 1.33 to 3.44)) and with the reported availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) (0.55 (0.36 to 0.84)).
conclusionsTraining about correct behaviour of DAs during future infectious disease outbreaks is needed, especially for DAs working in dental practices. In the future, it will also be necessary to strengthen supply chains to ensure that PPE is sufficiently available in a timely manner.
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