Study Shows Hygienists At Low Risk Of COVID-19
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- Published: Monday, 01 March 2021 08:20
- Written by Chris Tapper
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A study carried out in the US suggests dental hygienists have experienced a low rate of COVID-19 infection, despite being considered high-risk.
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the American Dental Association released data from nearly 4,800 dental hygienists working in all 50 US states, as well as Puerto Rico.
HealthDay News reported only 3.1% of hygienists said they had been diagnosed with COVID-19. The initial results were published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene.
The results followed a study carried out in Italy published in October 2021, which also found low rates of infection amongst dental hygienists.
In the Italian study, 2,798 hygienists participated and only 0.25% of the sample was found to be positive to the virus.
Researchers carried out the US study after The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared hygienists at high risk for COVID-19.
“The COVID-19 rate among dental hygienists appears to be similar to that among dentists and far below that of other health professionals in the United States. It is slightly higher than that of the general population” said HealthDay News.
“More than 99% of hygienists surveyed said their primary dental practice had boosted infection controls in response to the pandemic. The majority of hygienists wore eye protection, masks, protective coverings and gloves during dental procedures.”
"The dental team has been following strict infection control guidance since long before COVID-19," said study co-author Dr. Marcelo Araujo, chief executive officer of the ADA Science and Research Institute.
"This study is another proof point that dental care is safe for patients and dental professionals," he said in an ADA news release.
Co-author Ann Battrell, CEO of the ADHA, said the low infection rate is evidence that oral health care can be provided safely.
This "is critically important since the safety of dental hygienists and the patients they serve is of the utmost importance to ADHA and the dental hygiene profession," she said in the release.
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