Objective:

To determine if there are differences between knowledge, perception and attitudes of the prevention measures related to COVID-19 among the dentists of the different districts of Lima, Peru with the highest and lowest number of infection cases.

Methods:

The sample size was 265 dentists, of which 117 were from the districts with the greatest impact and 148 from the districts with the least impact. These districts of both extremes were based on the contagion rates that they presented in August 2020 according to the Ministry of Health. A questionnaire was used as an instrument and it was distributed via social networks. For the univariate analysis, the descriptive statistics were obtained where the absolute and relative frequency measures were calculated for the dependent, independent and covariate variables.

For the bivariate analysis, a comparison was made between the variable’s knowledge, perception and attitudes with the dentists of the districts with the highest and lowest number of infected using the Chi-square test.

Results:

The dentists of the districts with the highest impact have greater knowledge about the main symptoms, transmission routes and prevention measures against COVID-19 compared to the dentists of the districts with the least impact. In addition, those with the greatest impact perceive COVID-19 as very dangerous, while those with the least impact perceive it as moderately dangerous and very dangerous in equal proportions.

Finally, with regard to attitude, those with the greatest impact do not care for a suspicious patient and refer him to a health center, while those with the least impact do care for them and refer them to a health center.

Conclusión:

Finally, differences were found between knowledge, perception and attitudes of the prevention measures related to COVID-19 among the dentists of the different districts of Lima, Peru with the highest and lowest number of infected people.