COVID-19 as an opportunity for minimally-invasive dentistry : a national cross-sectional survey

Funding Information: IM acknowledges financial support from Post-doctoral-Research-Aid-Programme (European Regional Development Fund; 1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/543, Contract No 9.-14.5/27). All authors were part-time financed by the project of National Research Program “Impact of COVID-19 on health care system and public health in Latvia; ways in preparing health sector for future epidemics” (Project Nr. VPP-COVID-2020/1-0011). SEU acknowledges financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 857287. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).BACKGROUND: During the COVID19 pandemic, the Latvian government issued first absolute restrictions (elective treatments prohibited, only emergency care) and later relative restrictions (preference for non-aerosol-generating procedures (AGP) and emergency care) on dental care. This study aims to assess the impact of these restrictions on the decision made by Latvian dentists about caries treatment. METHODS: A Survey-based cross-sectional study was used. A minimum sample size of 174 dentists was estimated for national representativeness (N = 1524). The questionnaire was developed by experts and sent three times via email to Latvian dentists from July to September 2020 and was also delivered in printed form at two national conferences in September and October 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS: We received 373 completed questionnaires, with a total response rate of 24.5%. Under the recommendation to reduce AGP for the treatment of uncomplicated caries, 10% of the dentists stated that they would stop attending, 54% would only attend emergencies, and 36% would attend as usual. Under prohibition, the percentages are 15%, 74%, and 11%, respectively. Regarding the type of treatment, more than 75% would opt to proceed with selective caries removal for both primary and permanent teeth and 10% for extraction. CONCLUSION: Latvian dentists are willing to treat patients with caries during the pandemic and state that they prefer to use non- or minimally invasive and less aerosol-generating methods for caries treatment.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Clinical effectiveness/child-patient and parent satisfaction of two topical fluoride treatments for caries: a randomised clinical trial

Knowledge gaps exist regarding optimal silver diammine fluoride (SDF) regimens and the efficacy of new products for arresting dental caries in young children. We evaluated the effectiveness of 38%-SDF (SDI-RivaStar), Tiefenfluorid (TF) comparing with Placebo (P), all in conjunction with behavioural modification (BM), in preventing major complications (endodontic/extractions/pain)—a patient-centred outcome—due to early childhood caries over 12 months in children under 71-months. A six-arm, patient/parent-blinded, superiority, placebo-controlled randomised control trial at the university clinic in Riga, Latvia, from 1/9/20-31/8/22 (Protocol registration ISRCTN17005348). The trial tested six protocols, using three compounds (P/SDF/TF) under two regimes: annual and biannual (P1/P2/TF1/TF2/SDF1/SDF2) for major complications. Secondary outcomes included minor complications and parental satisfaction. All groups received BM. 373/427 randomised children (87.3%) completed the study. SDF2 had a significantly lower rate and risk of major (21.5%, OR = 0.28, 95%CI [0.11, 0.72], p 0.05). SDF biannual application with BM effectively prevented major complications of early childhood caries and was well accepted by children and their parents. Trial registration number: ISRCTN17005348, principal investigator: Ilze Maldupa, registration date: 30/06/2021. Clinical trial registration number: ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN17005348, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17005348, registration date: 30/06/2021

Bērnu zobu traumu veidi un ārstēšanas tiešās izmaksas. Promocijas darba kopsavilkums

Doctoral thesis has been performed at Department of Conservative Dentistry of Rīga Stradiņš University. Defence: at the public session of the Promotion Council of Stomatology on March 23, 2011, at 17.00 in Hippocrates auditorium, Rīga, Dzirciema str. 16.This research has been performed with the support of “Support for Doctoral Students in Receiving Study Curricula and Scientific Degrees at Riga Stradiņš University

Types of Children’s Dental Trauma and Direct Costs of Treatment. Doctoral Thesis

Promocijas darbs izstrādāts Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes Terapeitiskās stomatoloģijas katedrā. Aizstāvēšana: 2011. gada 23. martā plkst. 17.00 Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes Stomatoloģijas promocijas padomes atklātā sēdē Hipokrāta auditorijā, Rīgā, Dzirciema ielā 16.Darbs veikts ar „Atbalsts doktorantiem studiju programmas apguvei un zinātniskā grāda ieguvei Rīgas Stradiņa universitātē” atbalst

Types of Children’s Dental Trauma and Direct Costs of Treatment. Summary of the Doctoral Thesis

Promocijas darbs izstrādāts Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes Terapeitiskās stomatoloģijas katedrā. Aizstāvēšana: 2011. gada 23. martā plkst. 17.00 Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes Stomatoloģijas promocijas padomes atklātā sēdē Hipokrāta auditorijā, Rīgā, Dzirciema ielā 16.Darbs veikts ar „Atbalsts doktorantiem studiju programmas apguvei un zinātniskā grāda ieguvei Rīgas Stradiņa universitātē” atbalst