Awareness of Microbial Contamination in Face Shields Used in Dentistry.

Background: The basic know-hows of handling face shields and its related contamination is invaluable given the current escalation of today's scenario. We firmly believe that educating the still-growing students is a huge step forward in battling this situation. Thus, in our present study we have aimed to assess the awareness levels of dental undergraduates and postgraduates regarding the contamination of face shields when used in dentistry. Materials and Methods: This was a survey based study conducted in the month of March 2021, using the online survey platform SurveyPlanet®. This survey was taken up by 100 dental students (both undergraduates and postgraduates) studying at a private dental university in Chennai, India. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions. The questions were framed to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of dental students about the contamination associated with face shields when used in dentistry. The data was collected, tabulated in Microsoft Excel® and coded for analysis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows (Version 20.0, SPSS, Inc., Chicago, U.S.A.) was used to analyze the data obtained. Results: 63% of the students used Only Mask, 12% used Only Face Shield while 25% used both. 38% of the students wore gloves while removing face shields to dispose of them after use. 50% of them were aware that if not tight fitting, aerosols may still enter and exit around the outside of a face shield. Conclusion: Within the limits of the current study we conclude by reporting that the existing levels of knowledge and aptitude regarding face shields in dentistry is not satisfactory with respect to the current situation in today's pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]