Awareness of COVID-19 and its protocols and perception about orthodontic treatment among orthodontic patients: A questionnaire study

Abstract

Objective: The main aim of this study is to understand the knowledge regarding Covid -19 protocols, concerns and apprehensions among orthodontic patients undergoing treatment and those intending on getting orthodontic treatment.Methodology: An online anonymous questionnaire consisting of 26 questions was distributed to first 500 potential responders regarding their knowledge and perception of Covid-19 awareness and protocols. It was mandatory to answer all questions and the survey was anonymized and did not contain any identifying information. Results: Chi Square Goodness of Fit test was used to compare the distribution in the responses for the study questionnaire addressing the knowledge and awareness towards COVID-19 and it was statistically significant (p=0.001). Independent Chi Square test was used to compare the gender based differences in the responses for the questionnaire but no statistically significant difference was found. Conclusion: The patient perception and awareness regarding COVID-19 and its prevention protocols was same regardless of the gender. The awareness among study subjects was high and willingness to undergo orthodontic treatment gave mixed results.