![]() ![]() ![]() All 30 DOs had undergone an in-depth interview via zoom until data saturation was reached. Thirty DOs out of approximately 40 were selected for the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria 6 from private dental clinics, 18 from government dental clinics, and 6 from SDOH. The exclusion criteria included DMs of other clinics apart from the selected dental clinic and DMs who do not provide consent or were not willing to participate in the study.Ī purposive sampling method was used for the selection of DOs and DMs. The inclusion criteria for DMs included Sub-divisional Dental Officers (SDDO), Senior Dental officers (SDOs) and Principal Dental officers (PDO) of the selected government and private dental clinics, DMs of any ethnicity and gender with at least 6 months of working experience. The exclusion criteria included any other dental practitioners, DOs from other dental clinics, and those DOs who were not willing to participate in the study. The inclusion criteria for DOs included Dentists and dental interns of any ethnicity and gender with at least 6 months of working experience. The study sample on the other hand was selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study population comprised all the dental staff of the dental clinics in Suva, Fiji. Hence, this study aims to determine the organizational preventative strategies implemented by dental clinics in Fiji during the COVID-19 pandemic. No research has yet been conducted in Fiji to report these findings. Hence, the need for organizational preventive strategies to safeguard dental professionals and patients in a high-risk environment, such as a dental clinic. There was fear amongst dental professionals in Fiji to safely reopen during the pandemic. The pandemic had caused unpreceded changes to dental settings, dentists, and dental patients. ![]() COVID-19 has significantly affected Fiji and its people. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the droplets and aerosols generated during dental procedures are regarded as high risk. This causes constant exposure to body fluids such as blood and saliva as well as the spread of aerosols during dental procedures. The scientific literature has drawn attention to factors such as dentists close contact with patients. ĬOVID-19 has created a significant impact on dentists and oral health professionals. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, myalgia, headache, shortness of breath, and in some cases diarrhea. The disease was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. The outbreak has exceedingly spread worldwide and has become a public health crisis. This virus emerged as acute pneumonia and was first identified in Wuhan City, China. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, is a respiratory disease that emerged from a novel coronavirus in December 2019. ![]()
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