IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i11p1451-d1511474.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Provision of Public Dental Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Dental Staff in Greater Western Sydney, Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Tiffany Patterson-Norrie

    (Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia)

  • Ariana Kong

    (Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia)

  • Albert Yaacoub

    (Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    Oral Health Services, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Penrith, NSW 2750, Australia
    School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia)

  • Ravi Srinivas

    (Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
    Oral Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia)

  • Shwetha G. Kezhekkekara

    (Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia)

  • Ajesh George

    (Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 1871, Australia
    School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
    Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia)

Abstract

Background and aim: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to significant changes in health service delivery. Despite the risk in high-exposure environments, frontline workers such as dental staff were expected to continue delivering essential services. This study specifically sought to explore the experiences of dental staff in New South Wales and determine their perceptions of dental care delivery during a pandemic. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit twenty-four dental staff from two local health districts. A deductive framework, as described by Braun and Clark, was used to analyse the transcripts. Four major focus areas were identified: responding to protocol changes, adapting to the impact of changes in policy and protocol, modifying dental treatment planning and recommendations for training and implementation of policies. Results: Dental staff reported that management staff were doing all they could and were most supported working in a team. Reduced contact with patients and personal protective equipment helped staff feel safe when seeing patients. Mental health and remote dentistry services could be more supported. Conclusions: Unique challenges were experienced by dental staff and their management during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Future considerations include improved support for staff and further investigation into the effectiveness of options such as teledentistry.

Suggested Citation

  • Tiffany Patterson-Norrie & Ariana Kong & Albert Yaacoub & Ravi Srinivas & Shwetha G. Kezhekkekara & Ajesh George, 2024. "Provision of Public Dental Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Dental Staff in Greater Western Sydney, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:11:p:1451-:d:1511474
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1451/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1451/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    2. Muhammad Adeel Ahmed & Rizwan Jouhar & Naseer Ahmed & Samira Adnan & Marziya Aftab & Muhammad Sohail Zafar & Zohaib Khurshid, 2020. "Fear and Practice Modifications among Dentists to Combat Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-11, April.
    3. Mohamed Mekhemar & Sameh Attia & Christof Dörfer & Jonas Conrad, 2021. "Dental Nurses’ Mental Health in Germany: A Nationwide Survey during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-18, July.
    4. Sonica Singhal & Shwetabh Mohapatra & Carlos Quiñonez, 2021. "Reviewing Teledentistry Usage in Canada during COVID-19 to Determine Possible Future Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-11, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Juan Carlos De Haro & Eva María Rosel & Inmaculada Salcedo-Bellido & Ester Leno-Durán & Pilar Requena & Rocío Barrios-Rodríguez, 2022. "Psychological Impact of COVID-19 in the Setting of Dentistry: A Review Article," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-37, December.
    2. Andreea Kui & Codruța Popescu & Anca Labuneț & Oana Almășan & Adrian Petruțiu & Mariana Păcurar & Smaranda Buduru, 2022. "Is Teledentistry a Method for Optimizing Dental Practice, Even in the Post-Pandemic Period? An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    3. María Sofía Rey-Martínez & María Helena Rey-Martínez & Natalia Martínez-Rodríguez & Cristina Meniz-García & José María Suárez-Quintanilla, 2023. "Influence of the Sanitary, Economic, and Social Crisis of COVID-19 on the Emotional State of Dentistry in Galicia (Spain)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-12, February.
    4. Jennifer Tartaglia & Michelle McIntosh & Jonine Jancey & Jane Scott & Andrea Begley, 2021. "Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Najwa Taghy & Linda Cambon & Caroline Boulliat & Olivier Aromatario & Claude Dussart, 2021. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviours in Primary Care for the Elderly—Protocol for a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-10, July.
    6. Cristine Maria Warmling & Rubens Spin-Neto & Luciana Zambillo Palma & Manoelito Ferreira Silva-Junior & Renata Goulart Castro & Mirelle Finkler & Márcia Helena Baldani & Fernando Valentim Bitencourt, 2023. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Oral Health Workforce: A Multicenter Study from the Southern Region of Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    7. Van Droogenbroeck, Ellen & Van Hove, Leo, 2020. "Intra-household task allocation in online grocery shopping: Together alone," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    8. Thuy Séran & Anne-Sophie Fernandez & Hervé Chappert, 2024. "Managing coopetition in multi-unit organizations: a management-control perspective," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(10), pages 2889-2924, October.
    9. Şahika Simsek-Cetinkaya & Simge Evrenol Ocal, 2023. "“Psychological Injuries Are Not Visible†: Experiences and Perceptions of Midwives and Nurses about Domestic Violence during Pregnancy," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 32(8), pages 1115-1123, November.
    10. Najwa Taghy & Viviane Ramel & Ana Rivadeneyra & Florence Carrouel & Linda Cambon & Claude Dussart, 2023. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviors in Primary Care for the Elderly—Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-17, January.
    11. Xudan Lin & Hong Zhu & Duo Yin, 2022. "Enhancing Rural Resilience in a Tea Town of China: Exploring Tea Farmers’ Knowledge Production for Tea Planting, Tea Processing and Tea Tasting," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    12. Silvia Scaramuzzi & Sara Gabellini & Giovanni Belletti & Andrea Marescotti, 2021. "Agrobiodiversity-Oriented Food Systems between Public Policies and Private Action: A Socio-Ecological Model for Sustainable Territorial Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-32, November.
    13. Asiimire Donath & Medard Twinamatsiko & Johnson Atwiine & Dr. Nuwatuhaire Benard, 2024. "Women Productive Resource Ownership and their Contribution to the Changing Family Patterns in Ankole Sub-Region, Uganda," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(5), pages 844-855, May.
    14. Tongyu Meng & Jamie Newth & Christine Woods, 2022. "Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1091-1117, September.
    15. Ancuta Goriuc & Darius Sandu & Monica Tatarciuc & Ionut Luchian, 2022. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dentistry and Dental Education: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-11, February.
    16. Annette Peart & Virginia Lewis & Chris Barton & Grant Russell, 2020. "Healthcare professionals providing care coordination to people living with multimorbidity: An interpretative phenomenological analysis," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2317-2328, July.
    17. Luca Aquilanti & Silvia Gallegati & Valerio Temperini & Luigi Ferrante & Edlira Skrami & Maurizio Procaccini & Giorgio Rappelli, 2020. "Italian Response to Coronavirus Pandemic in Dental Care Access: The DeCADE Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-12, September.
    18. Soo-Yong Shin & Eun-Ju Lim, 2021. "Clinical Work and Life of Mid-Career Male Nurses: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-10, June.
    19. Fatoumata Fofana & Pat Bazeley & Antoine Regnault, 2020. "Applying a mixed methods design to test saturation for qualitative data in health outcomes research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, June.
    20. Saba Wajeeh & Abhishek Lal & Naseer Ahmed & Md. Ibrahim Khalil & Afsheen Maqsood & Akram Mojidea M Alshammari & Abdulelah Zaid Alshammari & Meshari Musallam Mohammed Alsharari & Abdulelah Hamdan Alrus, 2021. "Operational Implications and Risk Assessment of COVID-19 in Dental Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-13, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:11:p:1451-:d:1511474. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.