IADR Abstract Archives
COVID-19 Quality Assurance Assessments in Dental Clinics in 2020-2021
Objectives: To describe the common faults found during the COVID-19 QA assessments in dental clinics.
To compare the most common faults by QA assessment type (announced audits and unannounced audits).
Methods: Analyzing data of QA assessment results done from May 2020 to January 2021 by the dental health departments at regional health offices using the new COVID-19 QA abbreviated form.
Results: 330 QA assessments were performed: 210 announced audits (64%) and 120 unannounced audits (36%). Dental clinics that underwent the unannounced QA assessments met 78% of the requirements, while the clinics that were notified before the visit met 84%.
Results also showed that 50% of the clinics met full COVID-19 infection control requirements and 20% needed slight adjustments. 64% maintained a high standard of social distancing and COVID-19 precautions, while 19% of the clinics had some difficulties. As for the telephone triage and recording the results, 53% of the clinics fully fulfilled criteria and 17% partially followed the instructions.
Conclusions: Most dental clinics (74%) fully or partially fulfilled the requirements and successfully underwent QA assessments.
No significant rate of unacceptable findings was found in unannounced audits (chi-squared test). With the known disadvantages of unannounced audits, such as interfering with the clinic’s daily routine and patients’ appointment queues and creating a less pleasant environment for the staff and patients, there was no advantage for the unannounced QA assessments. Thus, they should be limited to specific cases and circumstances.
To compare the most common faults by QA assessment type (announced audits and unannounced audits).
Methods: Analyzing data of QA assessment results done from May 2020 to January 2021 by the dental health departments at regional health offices using the new COVID-19 QA abbreviated form.
Results: 330 QA assessments were performed: 210 announced audits (64%) and 120 unannounced audits (36%). Dental clinics that underwent the unannounced QA assessments met 78% of the requirements, while the clinics that were notified before the visit met 84%.
Results also showed that 50% of the clinics met full COVID-19 infection control requirements and 20% needed slight adjustments. 64% maintained a high standard of social distancing and COVID-19 precautions, while 19% of the clinics had some difficulties. As for the telephone triage and recording the results, 53% of the clinics fully fulfilled criteria and 17% partially followed the instructions.
Conclusions: Most dental clinics (74%) fully or partially fulfilled the requirements and successfully underwent QA assessments.
No significant rate of unacceptable findings was found in unannounced audits (chi-squared test). With the known disadvantages of unannounced audits, such as interfering with the clinic’s daily routine and patients’ appointment queues and creating a less pleasant environment for the staff and patients, there was no advantage for the unannounced QA assessments. Thus, they should be limited to specific cases and circumstances.