Caregiver acceptance of an anticipated COVID-19 vaccination

BACKGROUND: The world is hopeful a vaccine will help mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors conducted a hospital-based study using a questionnaire to examine parental acceptance of an anticipated COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS: A 41-item questionnaire using the Health Belief Model was administered to caregivers of children receiving oral health care in a dental clinic in an urban pediatric teaching hospital. Demographic, health-seeking, and health-behavior questions were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 39.2% of caregivers would not allow their child to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Whereas 27.8% of caregivers agreed that if their physician recommends a COVID-19 vaccination, they will allow their child to receive it, 52.2% said that a health care professional could influence this decision. CONCLUSIONS: Dentists, intimately aware of the suggested risks of aerosol-generating procedures, can play a critical role in educating the public about the importance of accepting a COVID-19 vaccine. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dentists are in a unique position to discuss and advocate for vaccine acceptance. If a COVID-19 vaccine is not widely accepted, risks associated with performing aerosol-generating procedures will remain.