Rubber-dam usage by dentists and the pandemic: a questionnaire study

Abstract ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare the frequency of rubber-dam usage by dentists in different specialties before and after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.Materials and MethodsA questionnaire was delivered electronically to dentists in different specialties during May 2021. This questionnaire included questions about the demographics and professional backgrounds of the dentists, and their opinions about and the frequencies of use of the rubber-dam. Additionally, whether their rubber-dam usage approaches were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic was also questioned.ResultsRegardless of the specialty, it was found that the frequency of using rubber-dams decreased inversely as the years of professional experience increased (P < 0.05). When specialties were considered, endodontists used rubber-dams during endodontic and restorative procedures significantly more often than the others (P < 0.05). When the workplaces were compared, it was seen that rubber-dams were used significantly more often in university clinics (P < 0.05). Among the participants, 36.4% said that the frequency of using rubber-dams increased after the pandemic. In addition, it was seen that the frequency of rubber dam usage increased statistically significantly after pandemic among dentists from all specialties who agreed with the statement “Using a rubber dam is always beneficial in restorative and endodontic procedures” (P < 0.05).Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceDespite the quality guideline recommendations, the use of rubber dams is still not at the desired level; however, there has been an increase in the number of dentists using them after the pandemic began.