IADR Abstract Archives
Impact of COVID-19 on Academic Experience of Pre-Clinical Dental Students
Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed the academic remodeling of dental schools in the United States. Institutions adopted virtual modalities for didactic sessions, altered the degree of simulation exposure, and adjusted student clinic schedules. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pandemic’s impact on pre-clinical dental students’ education and to analyze their concerns relating to the job market and post-graduation goals.
Methods: The Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research approved this project. A cross-sectional survey consisting of 40 multiple choice, short answer, and 5-point Likert scale questions were developed and distributed to 128 first (D1) and second year (D2) dental students at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine. Data was analyzed using SPSS software with a 5% significance level.
Results: This study reveals that D2 students experienced a significant reduction in both simulated and in-person patient care clinic time (p < 0.002). In addition, D2 students were more financially affected by the pandemic compared to D1 students (p = 0.01). Students aged 25 – 29 and females were most concerned about the economic impact of COVID-19 on dental practices (p < 0.03). Females were significantly concerned about future job opportunities (p = 0.004) and more likely to change their post-graduation plans as a result of the economic impact on dental practices than their male colleagues (p < 0.04).
Conclusions: The academic experience of pre-clinical students was considerably altered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Decreased hands-on experience and patient interaction influenced post-graduation plans for many pre-clinical students and is reflected by their concern for the future job market. Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, students showed resiliency by adapting to new learning modalities such as virtual didactic sessions and smaller cohort groups.
Methods: The Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research approved this project. A cross-sectional survey consisting of 40 multiple choice, short answer, and 5-point Likert scale questions were developed and distributed to 128 first (D1) and second year (D2) dental students at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine. Data was analyzed using SPSS software with a 5% significance level.
Results: This study reveals that D2 students experienced a significant reduction in both simulated and in-person patient care clinic time (p < 0.002). In addition, D2 students were more financially affected by the pandemic compared to D1 students (p = 0.01). Students aged 25 – 29 and females were most concerned about the economic impact of COVID-19 on dental practices (p < 0.03). Females were significantly concerned about future job opportunities (p = 0.004) and more likely to change their post-graduation plans as a result of the economic impact on dental practices than their male colleagues (p < 0.04).
Conclusions: The academic experience of pre-clinical students was considerably altered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Decreased hands-on experience and patient interaction influenced post-graduation plans for many pre-clinical students and is reflected by their concern for the future job market. Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, students showed resiliency by adapting to new learning modalities such as virtual didactic sessions and smaller cohort groups.