Dental Students' Attitudes and Hesitancy Toward COVID-19 Vaccine.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Dental Education

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dentists are a group of providers who have been identified by CDC at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their contact with patients. This would apply to dental students as well. Thus, it is important to achieve high COVID-19 vaccination rates in this group. Further, as healthcare providers, they are entrusted with providing health recommendations and advocating for their patients, community, and profession, including vaccinations.

METHODS: Using ualtrics

RESULTS: Nearly, all participants had positive attitudes toward vaccines in general, agreed they would likely be exposed to COVID-19, and personally knew someone who had COVID-19; however, only 56% are willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as an FDA-approved vaccine was available. Of those unwilling to take the vaccine, 63% reported they would take it if mandated by the health systems/dental school; however, 16.3% of the overall respondents would not take the COVID-19 vaccine even if mandated. Several factors are associated with vaccine acceptance and the likelihood of recommending the vaccination, such as trusting public health experts, concerns about side effects, and agreeing with vaccine mandates.

CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the need for an educational curriculum about the safety and effectiveness to promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine.

Volume

85

Issue

9

First Page

1504

Last Page

1510

DOI

10.1002/jdd.12632

ISSN

1930-7837

PubMed ID

33913152

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