The German Dental Community During COVID-19: a Psychological Assessment

Objectives: Since the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic, healthcare professionals have reported increased psychological stress. This study aimed to explore the relationship between psychological well-being and various factors among the German dental community during the pandemic.
Methods: Between July and November 2020, dentists, dental nurses, and dental students from all German federal states were invited to participate in a self-administered online survey. The survey collected data on demographics, scores on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and responses to the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R). Univariate analyses (Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests) were used to examine the links between sociodemographic factors and psychological outcomes such as depression, anxiety, stress, intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal. For significant results, we conducted multiple linear regression. The significance level was set at 0.05.
Results: In total, 732 dentists, 252 dental nurses, and 211 dental students from across Germany participated. Participants reported normal to mild scores for depression, anxiety, stress, intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal (Table 1). Significant associations (p < 0.05) were found in all groups, linking higher DASS-21 and IES-R scores to being female, having immunodeficiency or chronic illnesses, working at a dental practice, and considering the COVID-19 pandemic a financial hazard.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the need to safeguard the mental well-being of the German dental community during a crisis. They also provide insights for authorities to adapt measures to mitigate the adverse effects of future outbreaks.