Correct use of masks during pediatric dental care by students. Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad Nacional de Asunción

Abstract

Introduction: Medical or surgical masks are sanitary devices that are used to stop large respiratory droplets from reaching the person wearing them. Objective: To determine the correct use of the mask during patient care by fifth-year students of Pediatric Dentistry at the Faculty of Dentistry of the National University of Asuncion in 2025, before and after an educational intervention. Material and Methods: A quasi-experimental design was applied. The sample consisted of 49 fifth-year students in the aforementioned course. Correct and incorrect mask use was observed during practical classes with patients. An educational intervention was then carried out, followed by a second measurement of the variables. Results: The study included 49 students, predominantly female (79.6%). Most were 24 to 25 years old. After the educational intervention, improvements were observed in several aspects: the use of KN95 masks increased slightly from 93.9% before the intervention to 98% after the intervention; the percentage of students who used the mask continuously increased from 61.2% to 71.4% after the intervention; finally, the correct fit of the mask improved from 61.2% before the intervention to 67.3% after the intervention. Conclusions: The educational intervention showed an improvement in the frequency and correct fit of masks, although the changes observed were not statistically significant.