Frequency and pattern of outpatient dental visits during the COVID-19 pandemic at hospital and community clinics

BACKGROUND: The authors aimed to measure the frequency of dental visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate whether dental visits can be predicted from demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, oral problem diagnoses, and dental service providers. METHODS: Participants for this retrospective study were patients visiting dental care providers at hospital- and community-based outpatient clinics in Alberta, Canada. Data were retrieved from electronic databases from March 12, 2020, through September 30, 2020, and from the same period for 2018 and 2019. The COVID-19 lockdown was declared for March 12 through May 14, 2020. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance test and multiple logistic regression at α = 0.05. RESULTS: From a total of 14,319 dental visits, 5,671, 5,036, and 3,612 visits occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) frequency of daily visits was 36.69 (15.64), 32.09 (15.51), and 24.24 (14.78), respectively. Despite the overall decrease, the frequency of visits for infections, salivary problems, and temporomandibular disorders increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Dental visits during the pandemic were associated with more complicated oral diagnoses and dental services as well as higher economic status. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of dental visits decreased specifically during lockdown. Patients with complicated problems requiring urgent treatments mainly visited dental clinics. Reduced access to care was observed primarily among socially disadvantaged groups. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Although guidelines and related recommendations have been effective in restoring the compromised dental system during the COVID-19 pandemic, additional modifications are needed to promote in-person visits to improve the oral health status of patients.