IADR Abstract Archives
The COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on Dental Students: a one-Year Follow up Study.
Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the study and practice of dentistry. With the movement of didactic learning online, delayed clinical experience and uncertain graduation timelines, it is possible that students are under higher pressure, and presumably suffering from greater levels of stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on clinical dental students and their education over a year into the pandemic.
Methods: An online questionnaire and the perceived stress scale (PSS) were used to explore students’ perceptions and concerns regarding the current pandemic, their coping strategies and stress levels. Students from 3rd, 4th and 5th years were invited to complete the questionnaire a year after the initial survey. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyse the data.
Results: A total of 94 students responded. Among these, 90 reported some level of concern about the impact of the pandemic on their dental education and found the changes made to their education stressful. Half the students found the changes very stressful (33%) or extremely stressful (17%), which was comparable to the previous year’s findings of 38% and 16%, respectively. 82 (88.2%) students were concerned about the missed clinical time and 85 (91.4%) stated they were concerned about not having enough clinical experience. 79 of the students are stressed to varying degrees about graduating on time. The average PSS score was 18.8 of 40 (moderate stress), which was not significantly different from the previous year’s finding of 20.8 (moderate). Increasing PSS scores were predictive of students being in their final year. There were no differences in concern scores or smooth transition scores. Interestingly, 66% of students preferred pre-recorded or online lectures as compared to face to face.
Conclusions: One year later, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect dental education and remains a significant source of stress to the clinical year students investigated herein.
Methods: An online questionnaire and the perceived stress scale (PSS) were used to explore students’ perceptions and concerns regarding the current pandemic, their coping strategies and stress levels. Students from 3rd, 4th and 5th years were invited to complete the questionnaire a year after the initial survey. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyse the data.
Results: A total of 94 students responded. Among these, 90 reported some level of concern about the impact of the pandemic on their dental education and found the changes made to their education stressful. Half the students found the changes very stressful (33%) or extremely stressful (17%), which was comparable to the previous year’s findings of 38% and 16%, respectively. 82 (88.2%) students were concerned about the missed clinical time and 85 (91.4%) stated they were concerned about not having enough clinical experience. 79 of the students are stressed to varying degrees about graduating on time. The average PSS score was 18.8 of 40 (moderate stress), which was not significantly different from the previous year’s finding of 20.8 (moderate). Increasing PSS scores were predictive of students being in their final year. There were no differences in concern scores or smooth transition scores. Interestingly, 66% of students preferred pre-recorded or online lectures as compared to face to face.
Conclusions: One year later, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect dental education and remains a significant source of stress to the clinical year students investigated herein.