Dental sessions of disabled patients under general anaesthesia during COVID-19 pandemic

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Aims: The Aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on service provision under general anaesthesia (G.A.) at the Asklepieion Voulas’ Hospital Dental Department. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patient records for the three-year period of the pandemic (1/3/2020-28/2/2023) and the three year period before the pandemic (1/3/2017-29/2/2020) was performed for the following variables: number of dental sessions performed under G.A., number of sessions involving first time patients versus those of recall patients, number of procedures by service group and number of sessions of patients with no decay versus those with decay. All patients with disabilities treated under GA were included. The findings were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: In the 3 years before the pandemic 476 sessions were performed, while in the 3 year pandemic period 377 were performed. A reduction of 20.8% of the number of surgery sessions. Male patients’ attendances were higher than those of females before and during the pandemic. (before the pandemic 292 male/184 female and during the pandemic 239 male/138 female.) The decrease of male patients’ admission in the pandemic was 18.15% while for female patients it was 25.00%. First time patients’ services decreased by 13.88% (209 before-180 during the pandemic), while recall patients’ services decreased by 26.22% (267 before-197 during the pandemic). The decrease in procedures for the tooth decay patients’ group was only 15.98% (403 before -339 during the pandemic) compared to the no decay patients’ group that reached 47.95% (73 before-38 during the pandemic). Before the pandemic 1391 fillings, 1275 extractions and 51 root canal therapies were carried out. During the pandemic 1055 fillings, 958 extractions and 44 root canal therapies were carried out. Conclusions: The decrease of the total number of dental procedures for patients with disabilities during the pandemic in “Asklepieio Voulas” Hospital was due to special measures in order to free up health staff to be available for managing COVID-19 cases more effectively. More male than female patients were treated since the Unit was established and more research is needed to understand the causes of this discrepancy and identify any possible gender gap in service provision. A portion of the decrease of recall patients, as well as the lower number of cases admitted without decay, can be attributed to the fear of contracting Covid during hospitalisation. Hence only the most severe/urgent cases sought hospital treatment. During this difficult pandemic period the dental department of “Asklepieio Voulas” maintained the bulk of its services and fulfilled its significant social role as a last resort service provider to one of the most vulnerable groups of disabled adults.

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