Survey also shows that half of the responding countries have
agreed to include dentists in their priority vaccination
groups
GENEVA, Feb. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FDI
World Dental Federation today called for more countries
to enable dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccines after a survey
of its members revealed the small number of countries currently
permitted to do so. The survey was facilitated by FDI's COVID-19
Task Team.
Fifty-seven member national dental associations, from across the
globe, revealed that nearly two-thirds of countries had not granted
permission to dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccines as part of
national rollouts. In Europe,
countries where dentists are not permitted to administer the
vaccine include Switzerland,
Portugal, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia, and Russia (see Table 1).
In France, the National Order
of Dental Surgeons has called on the government to grant permission
to the profession, but no authorization has been given to date.
Discussions are also ongoing in Spain, Sweden, Ireland, Australia, Kenya, Hong
Kong, and Germany.
"Oral health is a fundamental component of overall health and
well-being and oral healthcare is an essential public service,"
said Dr Gerhard Konrad Seeberger, president of
FDI World Dental Federation.
"Efforts should be made to enable dentists to administer
COVID-19 vaccines when possible within national legislation and
regulations, and with minimal disruption to oral healthcare
services."
Countries permitting dentists to administer COVID-19
vaccines
Of the 57 survey responses, the countries who have granted
authorization to the profession to administer vaccines include:
Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, India,
Indonesia, Lebanon, Nigeria, Serbia, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom (17 per cent) (see Table 2).
Significantly, some of these countries include those where dentists
have not previously been allowed to administer vaccines, or at
least the influenza vaccine.
In the United States around 20
states are currently permitting dentists to administer COVID-19
vaccines.
Inclusion of dentists in priority vaccination groups
The survey also examined the prioritization of dentists in
COVID-19 vaccine roll-out programmes.
A total 53 per cent of responding countries said that dentists
would be included in priority vaccination groups (see Table 2),12
per cent said that they would not be, and 18 per cent responded
that the vaccination programme and priority groups were still being
planned. Those countries NOT including dentists as a priority group
include Cambodia, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Romania, Saudi
Arabia, South Korea, and
Thailand (See Table 1).
Ahead of World Oral Health Day on March
20, FDI will release a new set of data around the caseload
of COVID-19 infection amongst dentists around the world.
Further information:
Michael Kessler
FDI Media Relations
Mob: +34 655 792 699
Email: michael.kessler@intoon-media.com
Twitter: @mickessler
About FDI World Dental Federation: FDI is the main
representative body for more than one million dentists worldwide,
with a vision of leading the world to optimal oral health. Its
membership comprises some 200 national member associations and
specialist groups in over 130 countries. www.fdiworlddental.org
Notes to Editors:
Table 1
Countries where
dentists will not be permitted to administer COVID-19
vaccines
|
Countries where
dentists will not be included in priority vaccination
groups
|
Andorra
|
Cambodia
|
Austria
|
Colombia
|
Burkina
Faso
|
Kazakhstan
|
Denmark
|
Romania
|
Guam
|
Saudi
Arabia
|
Honduras
|
South
Korea
|
Israel
|
Thailand
|
Japan
|
|
Myanmar
|
|
Netherlands
|
|
Portugal
|
|
Romania
|
|
Russia
|
|
Saudi
Arabia
|
|
Seychelles
|
|
Slovakia
|
|
Switzerland
|
|
Thailand
|
|
Turkey
|
|
Table 2
Countries where
dentists are permitted to administer vaccine
|
Countries where
dentists are confirmed to be included in priority vaccination
groups
|
Cambodia
|
Australia
|
Colombia
|
Austria
|
Egypt
|
Canada
|
India
|
Chile
|
Indonesia
|
Denmark
|
Lebanon
|
Egypt
|
Nigeria
|
Georgia
|
Serbia
|
Germany
|
Slovenia
|
Greece
|
United
Kingdom
|
Guam
|
United
States
|
Honduras
|
|
India
|
|
Indonesia
|
|
Israel
|
|
Japan
|
|
Lebanon
|
|
Myanmar
|
|
Netherlands
|
|
Panama
|
|
Portugal
|
|
Russia
|
|
Serbia
|
|
Seychelles
|
|
Slovakia
|
|
Slovenia
|
|
Spain
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
Turkey
|
|
Ukraine
|
|
United
Kingdom
|
Source: FDI World Federation Member Survey November
2020-January 2021. The survey was
sent to 113 countries.