Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the income of dentists in Brazil: a national questionnaire survey

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Brazilian dentists. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out with data from the survey with 40,271 dentists by the Federal Council of Dentistry of Brazil between June 25 and July 3, 2020. The research involved two sets of questions, addressing sociodemographic characteristics and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in dental practice. A total of 65.2% of dentists were women and 49.3% were between 30.1 and 50 years old. Thirty-nine percent graduated in the last 10 years; 58% worked in a private practice (own or shared); 64.3% did not work with dental plans; and 72.2% continued working during the pandemic, but with restrictions. They had income between R$3,001 and R$10,000 (equivalent to US$564.81 to US$1,882.69) before the pandemic, 58% of dentists and 51.6% had income below R$3,000 (US$564.81) during the pandemic. Both before and during the pandemic, younger women (less time since graduation) reported lower income compared to men. The COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable impact on the income of dental surgeons throughout Brazil.