Research Information System University of Greifswald

Mksoud M*¹, Ittermann T², Holtfreter B³, Söhnel A⁴, Söhnel C¹, Welk A³, Ulm L⁵, Becker K⁵, Hübner N⁶, Rau A¹, Kindler S¹, Kocher T³

1 - Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde / Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-Kiefer-Gesichtschirurgie/Plastische Operationen

2 - Institut für Community Medicine / Abt. SHIP KEF

3 - Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde / Poliklinik für Zahnerhaltung, Parodontologie und Endodontologie

4 - Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde / Poliklinik für Zahnärztliche Prothetik, Alterszahnheilkunde und Medizinische Werkstoffkunde

5 - Friedrich Loeffler Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie

6 - Institut für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin

Objectives: During the corona pandemic, dental practices temporarily closed their doors to patients except for emergency treatments. Due to the daily occupational exposure, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission among dentists and their team is presumed to be higher than that in the general population. This study examined this issue among dental teams across Germany. Materials and methods: In total, 2784 participants provided usable questionnaires and dry blood samples. Dry blood samples were used to detect IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The questionnaires were analyzed to investigate demographic data and working conditions during the pandemic. Multivariable logistic mixed-effects models were applied. Results: We observed 146 participants with positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies (5.2%) and 30 subjects with a borderline finding (1.1%). Seventy-four out of the 146 participants with SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies did not report a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test (50.7%), while 27 participants without SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies reported a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test (1.1%). Combining the laboratory and self-reported information, the number of participants with a SARS-CoV-2 infection was 179 (6.5%). Though after adjustment for region, mixed-effects models indicated associations of use of rubber dams (OR 1.65; 95% CI: 1.01-2.72) and the number of protective measures (OR 1.16; 95% CI: 1.01-1.34) with increased risk for positive SARS-CoV-2 status, none of those variables was significantly associated with a SARS-CoV-2 status in fully adjusted models. Conclusions: The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission was not higher among the dental team compared to the general population.