J Multi Dent Res. 2020;6(2):63–68 Journal of Multidisciplinary Dental Research Research Article Survey on finance cost of COVID- 19 on Dentistry Ruwan D Jayasinghe 1, * , R Manori Jayasinghe 2 , M Dileep K De Silva 3 1 Professor, Dept. of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 2 Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 3 Consultant to the Health Economic Cell, Head Human Resources, Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received 10.08.2020 Accepted 23.01.2021 Published 25.02.2021 * Corresponding author. Ruwan D Jayasinghe ruwanja@dental.pdn.ac.lk https://doi.org/ 10.38138/JMDR/v6i2.11 ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the short term fnancial cost of the Covid-19 pandemic on private dental practice in Sri Lanka through a web-based questionnaire survey. Methods: An online web-based, self - administered questionnaire survey was conducted among Sri Lankan dental surgeons. Pre-tested questionnaire was used with close-ended questions, and questionnaire was designed to elicit data on the fnancial cost on private dental practice in Sri Lanka related to COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Response rate was 25%. Male and female responses were almost equal. Most of the respondents were in the 26 to 35 years age group (37.9%). Majority of the participants were only with BDS degree (53.7%). Out of those dental surgeons whose primary occupation was private dental practice, 50% were owners of the practice. Most of the practitioners have opened the practices during latter part of the COVID outbreak but treated a low patient volume. Total volume of patients managed by the majority of the respondents was less than 25% of the routine practice. Majority had an income less than 25% of the income during normal time. Similar number of participants expects/ does not expect the clinics will be back to usual income within another 6- 8 weeks. Interestingly, 55.1% of the participants did not fnd any fnancial difculty due to the efects of Covid- 19 pandemic. Participants’ expectation of adjustment of number of patients and the income with their age category were statistically signifcant. Te diference of their expectation for the government to help them according to the age was also statistically signifcant. Age of the respondents and expectation that the dental practices will be back to normal with normal number of patients and the income was statistically signifcant. More males have requested the banks to reschedule their loans. Conclusion: Tere are fnancial implications to the dental surgeons working in the private sector in Sri Lanka. Keywords: COVID 19; private dental practice; finance cost; dental surgeons 1 INTRODUCTION Te frst case of COVID-19 or coronavirus infection was frst reported from the wet market of Wuhan, China in December 2019. Tis infection was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (1) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Even though much attention was not paid at the initial stage, soon it became a serious health problem in Wuhan followed by in China and later moved in many other countries. On 30 January 2020, World Health Organization declared it as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and then as a pandemic on 11 th March 2020. (2) By now it has spread all most all countries causing serious health and economic efects. By 20 th may 2020, positive cases has suppressed 5 million with over 325,000 deaths worldwide. It is caused by a respiratory virus and primarily spread by small droplets produced by coughing, sneezing, and talking. As the droplets are large and heavy, they usually fall to the ground or onto surfaces soon. Multiple guidelines were issued by diferent health organizations (3) as well as professional bodies. (4) Some of them were universal whereas some others were country or diseases specifc. All these guidelines have recommended the limiting non-essential dental treatments to the minimum to safeguard the dental health care professionals, patients and public. COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on society, the economy, and also on the health care sector © 2020 Published by International Dental Educationists’ Association (IDEA). Tis is an open access article under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 63