197 - Post-Pandemic Wait For FMDR Under General Anesthesia For Healthy Children

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of the COVID -19 pandemic on the waiting period for dental treatment under general anesthesia (FMDR) for ASA I and ASA II patients

Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined waitlists for FMDR. The timeframes included were January 1, 2020-March 10, 2020 (Pre-COVID), June 1, 2020-February 28, 2021 (during COVID but with aerosol restrictions)- and March 1, 2021-December 31,2021 (1-year post state-ordered shutdown of dental procedures). Inclusion criteria was: ASA I or II patients, aged 0-18.

Results: 291 patients met the inclusion criteria.
93 patients were ASA I and 198 were ASA II.
Pre-COVID (group 1) had 41 patients, COVID (group 2) had 111 patients and Post-COVID (group 3) had 41 patients.
Treatment wait time ranged: 1-1818 days; median wait time 90 days.
Kruskal –Wallis test reveals statistically significant difference in OR wait times for both ASA I and ASA II children across pre- COVID, COVID and post- COVID time period, H (2, N=291) =25.54, P <0.001 with a mean rank of 119.88 days for pre- COVID, 123.03 days for COVID and 172.05 days for post- COVID time frames.

Conclusions: The FMDR wait times for ASA 1 and ASA 2 patients in CMC was statistically longer during the COVID and post- COVID period compared to the pre-COVID period