Anxiety and facial self-contacts: possible impact on COVID-19 transmission in dental practice

Abstract Background The purpose was to analyse the associations between dental and trait anxiety, fear of COVID-19 and the duration and frequency of spontaneous hand-to-face contact (self-contact). Methods A cross-sectional design was carried out with 128 adult patients from four dental clinics in Madrid, during the confinement, from March 15 to May 15. The patients’ movements in the waiting room were monitored with Microsoft Kinect Software, also completed the Trait anxiety subscale of the STAI, the COVID-19 Fear and the S-DAI questionnaire. Results Associations were observed between the duration and frequency of facial, mask and eye contact with trait anxiety and dental fear was determine…