Research of new patients to the First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka Dental University One year before and one year during the COVID‐19 pandemic outbreak

• Published in: Journal of Osaka Dental University Vol. 58; no. 1; pp. 305 - 309
• Main Authors: YOSHIDA, Hiroaki, TANI, Mitsuru, TANIGUCHI, Ryoji, HIMEJIMA, Akio, TAKASUGI, Norifumi, NIWA, Shinya, ISHIKAWA, Hiroki, KONO, Maho, NAKANISHI, Tamaki, ISEKI, Tomio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Osaka Odontological Society 25.04.2024
• Subjects: COVID‐19; New patients; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Pandemic outbreak
• ISSN: 0475-2058; 2189-6488
• DOI: 10.18905/jodu.58.1_305

SARS coronavirus type 2 was confirmed in China in December 2019. The WHO decided on the official name coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19).We researched one year before and one year during the coronavirus outbreak and during one year. The subjects were patients who visited our department from January 2019 to December 2021.The total number in 2019 before the COVID‐19 pandemic was 4905; male was 1771 (36.1%) and female was 3134 (63.9%). The mean age was 40.9 years old (male: 39.6 and female: 41.9).The total number of new patients after the pandemic was 4282; male was 1590 (37.1%) and female was 2692 (62.1%).The mean age was 38.4 (male: 38.6 and female: 38.3).Compared to the previous year, the number was 4282/4905 (87.6%). The number of new patients was decreasing among middle‐aged and elderly patients; however, young female patients around the age of 20 were seeing an increase.In 2020, the number of new patients decreased in April and May during the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic and in December during the second wave.Although the total number of new patients was decreasing in many age groups, only young female patients saw an increase in the number. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2024; 58: 305-309)