Long COVID Hits Dental Professionals Harder Than General Public, Studies Suggest
New research suggests dental professionals may face a higher risk of long COVID compared to the general population, with nearly one in four reporting lingering symptoms after infection. These findings raise concerns about workforce well-being.
As the world continues to grapple with the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, new research is shedding light on a concerning trend: dental professionals and other healthcare workers may be disproportionately affected by long COVID. While approximately 8% of Americans are estimated to have experienced lingering symptoms following a COVID-19 infection, recent international studies suggest the prevalence among healthcare and dental workers could be significantly higher, raising alarms about the long-term well-being of the workforce that cared for others during the pandemic.
In a meta-analysis published in BMJ Public Health, researchers examined 28 studies conducted prior to February 2022, encompassing data from 6,481 healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. Their findings revealed that 40% of healthcare professionals who contracted SARS-CoV-2 reported long COVID symptoms, defined as prolonged physical or cognitive issues lasting four weeks or more after infection.
The average follow-up period across studies was 22 weeks. In studies that extended past 12 months, the prevalence decreased to 26%, but researchers caution that many affected individuals may continue to experience chronic symptoms that wax and wane over time.
The most common long COVID symptoms among healthcare workers were:
- Fatigue (35%)
- Neurologic symptoms, such as brain fog or headaches (25%)
- Loss or reduction of smell and/or taste (25%)
- Muscle aches (22%)
- Shortness of breath (19%)
The authors note that the high exposure risk faced by healthcare workers — including repeated virus exposure, high-stress environments, and long work hours — may contribute to both the likelihood and severity of long COVID.
Dental professionals, who face unique exposure risks due to aerosol-generating procedures, may also be vulnerable to long-term complications from COVID-19. A study from Germany, published in Scientific Reports, found that nearly one in four (23%) dental team members who had contracted COVID-19 experienced symptoms consistent with long COVID.
The study surveyed 267 dental professionals across 186 German dental practices. Of the 146 participants who reported a confirmed COVID-19 infection after January 1, 2021, 33 (22.6%) indicated they had experienced persistent post-infection symptoms.
Importantly, the data revealed a disparity between dentists and dental auxiliary personnel — such as dental assistants and hygienists — in both vaccination rates and long COVID prevalence:
- Vaccination rates were higher among dentists (95.9%) than among auxiliary staff (84.2%).
- Long COVID symptoms were reported more frequently by dental assistants (48.5%) and hygienists (15.2%) than by dentists (36.4%).
While the sample size was relatively small, the German study observed a 10% lower incidence of long COVID in vaccinated dental team members compared to their unvaccinated colleagues. However, the authors stopped short of declaring a definitive causal relationship due to limited statistical power.
The findings from both studies raise important questions for the dental profession, particularly as clinics continue to deal with staffing shortages and burnout. The prospect that nearly a quarter of dental professionals may be dealing with lingering health effects from COVID-19 could have implications for workforce retention, productivity, and the mental health of care teams.
Long COVID symptoms — including brain fog, chronic fatigue, and respiratory issues — can interfere with the fine motor skills, sharp concentration, and stamina required in clinical dentistry. For auxiliary personnel already at higher risk, these issues may be compounded by lower pay, less autonomy, and reduced access to healthcare. Click here to read more.
