OBJECTIVE: Dental health care workers around the globe are potentially vulnerable of contracting COVID-19 disease. Many
studies have investigated the presence of anxiety and mental health issues amongst the healthcare worker, especially the dental
professional, during COVID-19. This study aimed to compare the anxiety of dental postgraduate trainees of different specialties
towards COVID-19.
METHODOLOGY: An online questionnaire comprising 11 items was forwarded to dental postgraduate (PGs) trainees in
Karachi for specialties of Endodontics/Operative Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Prosthodontics and Orthodontics. Responses to 9
questions were recorded on a 3-point Likert scale, where ‘Agree’ indicated anxiety and ‘Disagree’ showed no anxiety. Questions
also inquired PGs opinion about the specialty and dental procedures which they perceived to have the greatest risk of infection.
RESULTS: Almost 62% of responses by the participants affirmed their anxiety as demonstrated by their reply to various
questions based on Likert scale. Gender (p =0.012) and marital status (p= 0.036) revealed significant difference with respect
to anxiety related to closure of dental OPD in face of second wave of COVID-19 and treatment cost if infected, respectively.
Treatments like ultrasonic scaling (84%) and endodontics (79%) while training in specialty of Endodontics/Operative Dentistry
(88%) and Oral Surgery (69%) were considered having greatest risk to contract COVID-19.
CONCLUSION: Anxiety was expressed among trainees of all dental specialties, with training in specialties of Endodontics
and Oral Surgery considered at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19, with ultrasonic scaling and endodontics regarded
as most risky procedures.
KEYWORDS: Anxiety, COVID-19, Endodontics/Operative Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics.
HOW TO CITE: Raza N, Abidi SYA, Adnan S, Lone MM, Sajjad I, Ahmed J. A Comparative study on anxiety towards
COVID-19 among dental postgraduate trainees of different specialties in Karachi, Pakistan. J Pak Dent Assoc 2022;31(3):125-130.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25301/JPDA.313.125
Received: 13 April 2022, Accepted: 14 August 2022
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