Investigation
COVID-19
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on dentists’ workforce confidence and workflow

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2021.11.011Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the US economy and workforce, including marked effects on small businesses. Researchers have evaluated workers’ views of financial confidence and advancement, but there has been limited focus on the dental industry.

Methods

To extend investigations to dentistry, the authors used published scales and pretested questions to determine workforce confidence and workflow changes among dentists. Data were evaluated using descriptive and bivariate statistics. In the wake of the pandemic, surveys were distributed to the memberships of the American Dental Association and American Association of Orthodontists (n = 656).

Results

Dentists’ top concern was increased cost of providing treatment (57.4%; 95% CI, 53.5% to 61.3%), associated with widely adopted workflow changes including reduced patient volumes (66.0%; 95% CI, 62.4% to 69.6%) and increased safety protocols and equipment (health screening: 75.5%; 95% CI, 72.2% to 78.8%; KN/N95 respirators: 76.7%; 95% CI, 73.5% to 80.0%). However, most respondents did not expect their personal or practice finances to be negatively affected after the pandemic, as only 18.5% (95% CI, 15.4% to 21.7%) predicted their practice’s gross revenue would decrease.

Conclusions

Dentists were optimistic in the wake of vaccinations and lifting restrictions. Most expected their finances and practice performance to remain the same or grow in the short term and expected long-term improvements postpandemic.

Practical Implications

Results suggest that despite shutdowns and workflow changes, dentists have rebounded financially and anticipate future growth.

Key Words

COVID-19
pandemic
dentistry
financial outlook
Workforce Confidence Index
practice management
business
workflow
personal protective equipment

Abbreviation Key

AAO
American Association of Orthodontists
ADA
American Dental Association
PPE
Personal protective equipment
WCI
Workforce Confidence Index

Cited by (0)

Ms. Liu is a dental student, Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Ms. Gallo is a dental student, Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Babikow is an orthodontic resident, Orthodontics Group, Division of Craniofacial and Surgical Care, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Wiesen is a senior statistical research consultant, Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Jackson is an assistant professor, Orthodontics Group, Division of Craniofacial and Surgical Care, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Mitchell is an assistant professor, Orthodontics Group, Division of Craniofacial and Surgical Care, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Jacox is an assistant professor and director of the graduate orthodontics research program, Orthodontics Group, Division of Craniofacial and Surgical Care, and Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Disclosure. None of the authors reported any disclosures.

Ms. Liu and Ms. Gallo contributed to this article equally and should be considered co-first authors.

The project was supported by award K08 grant 1K08DE030235 (L.A.J.) from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health. This work was supported by the American Association of Orthodontics Foundation Martin “Bud” Schulman Postdoctoral/Junior Faculty Fellowship (L.A.J.) and the Biomedical Research Award (L.A.J.).

The authors appreciate the help and collaboration of LinkedIn’s senior editor George Anders and all of those who worked to produce LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index. The authors would like to thank the University of North Carolina’s Department of Orthodontics, now the Orthodontics Group within the Division of Craniofacial and Surgical Care, for hosting this study. The authors would also like to thank Teresa Edwards and Chris Wiesen at the University of North Carolina’s Odum Institute for Research in Social Science for their important guidance in preparing, testing, and revising the survey along with survey data analysis.

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