Mothers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Fears About Dental Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess mothers’ knowledge of coronavirus disease 2019 and to evaluate their attitudes and fears about dental visits during the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A structured questionnaire, developed in English and Arabic, adapted from previous questionnaires was remotely applied to a sample of 833 mothers of children aged 17 years and younger, from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Eligible participants were encouraged to invite others. The questionnaire collected information on knowledge about COVID-19, dental visit patterns, willingness of mothers to take their children to the dentist, and factors affecting it during the pandemic. Frequencies and percentages of categorical variables were presented, and predictors of willingness to visit a dentist during the pandemic were examined by logistic regression. RESULTS: Mothers who perceived the dental clinic to be of less or similar danger to public places were more willing to take their children to the dentist during the pandemic than were those who perceived it to be more dangerous (odds ratio [OR] = 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–7.0; OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1–4.8, respectively). Mothers who were willing to go to the dentist during the pandemic were more likely to take their children to the dentist compared with mothers who were not willing to go themselves, OR = 16.9 (6.0–47.1). The most commonly reported barrier to visiting the dental clinic was fear of contracting the virus from someone there (80%). Most parents did not take their child to the dentist during the pandemic (83%), and 24% of those who had an appointment did not allow their children to attend. CONCLUSION: Mothers were unlikely to take their children to the dentist except for an emergency and perceived the dental clinic as a risky place for contracting the virus. More reassuring information about infection control measures at dental clinics should be delivered to this population.