Page 59 - FINAL COMPENDIUM 2020-2021 27.2.2022

IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON DENTAL SERVICES IN KUANTAN DISTRICT OF
PAHANG
NMRR-20-2819-57663

Ainon Natrah A, Rapeah MY

Introduction: After the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, dental health services in
Malaysia had adhered to a strict clinical protocol as dental personnel is at high risk of
exposure to this virus through aerosol production during dental treatments. Various
outreach dental services had drastically been affected and could not be implemented as
to comply to the COVID-19 standard operating procedure imposed. Many had taken
immediate action in improving patient management and treatment provided. Objective:
To assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dental services in the Kuantan District.
Materials and methods: This study involved all 11 primary care and was conducted in two
phases of (i) Phase 1 on a retrospective study on secondary data of dental health services
output from 2019-2020 and (ii) Phase 2 on a cross-sectional study using an adapted
questionnaire on patients’ perception on dental services during Covid-19 time (Moffat et
al.,2020; Peloso et al., 2020) among patients attending primary dental clinics. Eligible
patients for phase 2 were Malaysian and those attended dental clinics in Kuantan either
for out-patients or follow-up appointments. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0
for descriptive analysis and Chi-square test. Results: As compared to 2019, patient
utilisation of dental clinics had reduced by almost 60% and after the announcement of
the Movement Control Order in March 2020, no outreach activities and school programs
are able to be conducted. Therefore most of the KPI indicators did not achieved its target.
A total of 442 patients had participated in the Phase 2 study, with 55% had appointments
through i-STempt appointment system. A significant association (p-value=0.04) existed
between ethnicity and utilization of i-STempt and more than 90% of patients would attend
dental appointments despite the current pandemic situation. Discussion: This study
reflects the dental health services output before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and
further provides patients feedback on the dental services provided during this situation.
In addition, the web-based appointment system; i-STempt is in tandem and relevant with
the current patient health management system.

nd
Presentation at the 22 NIH Scientific Conference 2021 on 21 – 23 September 2021
Dr Ainon Natrah binti Aminnudin
Dental District of Kuantan, Pahang,
Ministry of Health Malaysia

Dr Rapeah binti Mohd Yassin
Oral Health Department
Ministry of Health Malaysia

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