A descriptive pilot study of the immediate impacts of COVID-19 on dental and dental hygiene students' readiness and wellness

Readiness for professional practice among health professions education graduates: a systematic review

Readiness to practice is the state of being prepared and capable of engaging in professional activities in a specific field. Graduates of healthcare professions require a diverse set of skills, knowledge and attitudes to meet the demands of complex healthcare settings. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of readiness for professional practice among graduates of health professions education. It encompasses a wide range of articles published between 2013 and 2024, incorporating various health professions and utilizing a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods designs. The review identified 93 studies from 32 diverse countries. The review revealed that factors influencing readiness to practice, include individual capabilities, the workplace context, and educational provision. It also explored strategies to enhance readiness to practice. The findings underscore the significance of addressing challenges such as lack of confidence, stress, communication, time management, job satisfaction, clinical experience, academic workload, teaching quality, mentorship and curriculum design. This comprehensive analysis serves as a valuable resource for healthcare educators, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to optimize the preparedness of graduates for the complexities of contemporary healthcare environments. Future studies should explore the interactions between readiness to practice stakeholders' perception of the educational curriculum, and the quality of support in the professional practice environment.

Influence of clinical experience in detecting calcifications of the head and neck region on panoramic radiographs: an app-based evaluation

Introduction

Digital panoramic radiographs (DPRs) are used in dental practice as the first diagnostic tool for the initial detection of head and neck regions soft-tissue calcifications. The aim of this study was to use a self-developed application (App) to evaluate the ability of dental students at different levels of training to examine known DPRs with different soft-tissue calcification.

Methods

A total of known 100 DPRs with (n=50) and without (n=50) calcification were independently evaluated by four groups: preclinical, first clinical and last clinical dental students, and dentists with less than or equal to 1 year of professional experience in the same time (15 min) and examination conditions. Unity software was used to develop the examination App, which allowed to mark areas with calcifications on the DPRs. The data were statistically analyzed between the groups (significance level: P<0.05) for every location, and the detection rate was calculated as a percentage of detected calcifications.

Results

Results revealed that the overall detection rate of calcifications in all groups was 29.17%. Dentists exhibited the highest detection rate (36.46%), followed by the last- (29.69%), first- (32.29%), and preclinical (15.10%) students.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that clinical experience plays a role in the correct detection of soft-tissue calcifications in DPRs. However, deficiencies in radiological training during dental education may contribute to diagnostic errors. As these can become life-threatening risks, the results highlight the need for early training in the dental curriculum to improve diagnostic performance and minimize possible diagnostic errors.

Impact of COVID-19 on Depression, Anxiety and Stress of Dental Students: A Systematic Review

AIM

To determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression, anxiety and stress of dental students by way of a systematic review.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review was conducted following the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. An electronic search was conducted for the period January 2020 to February 2023. Quality assessment was evaluated in accordance with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Frequency distribution was calculated for stress, anxiety and depression associated with students' gender, year of study and living circumstances.

RESULTS

Twenty-three studies were eligible for inclusion in the final review. Variables contributing to stress, anxiety and depression of dental students include gender, year of study and living circumstances. Being female is the most significant factor impacting on mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Results emphasise the need for dental institutions to develop targeted intervention programmes for more vulnerable students. Failure to act in a future pandemic event could result in ongoing psychological issues that persist following graduation, resulting in unfit dentists who may potentially affect the quality of the dental workforce.

COVID-19 Safety: Perspectives from Dental Students

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic created challenges for healthcare providers, especially dental professionals in practices and universities. This study investigated dental students' concerns about COVID-19 and whether institutional communication influenced pandemic-related stressors.

METHODS

An online survey designed to elicit dental students' concerns about COVID-19 was distributed to all dental students enrolled at a private non-profit academic institution in the Western United States from 26 April 2021 to 25 August 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the respondents, and Chi-square test and z-test analyses were used to compare students' experiences.

RESULTS

A total of 92 dental students answered the survey. The respondents' ages ranged from 22 to 47 years. Slightly more than half (50.5%) were male and 93.3% were non-Hispanic or non-Latino. Over one-fourth of the students (27.5%) reported that they either often or always felt anxious that they might become infected with the COVID-19 virus, with 16.3% of the students expressing concern about contracting COVID-19 while on campus. There were no statistically significant differences in anxiety levels about contracting COVID-19 from clinic patients or while on campus between the group of students who perceived the institution communicated effectively and those who did not. However, students who felt that the dental school clearly communicated COVID-19 protocols were more likely to believe that students took protocols seriously and expressed less concern about contracting COVID-19 by touching dental school items.

CONCLUSIONS

About one-quarter of dental students expressed high levels of anxiety about being infected with COVID-19. Clear communication about COVID-19 protocols reduced students' fear of contracting COVID-19 from dental school items and strengthened their belief that other students followed protocols.

Dental and dental hygienist trainee satisfaction with their veterans affairs clinical training experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly altered dental practice, training, and education. This study investigates the pandemic's impacts on the clinical training experiences of dental and dental hygienist trainees at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

METHODS

Using data from post-doctoral general practice dentists, dental specialists, and dental hygienist trainees who completed the VA Trainee Satisfaction Survey before and during COVID-19, we performed logistic regression and thematic content analyses to determine whether COVID-19 was associated with training satisfaction and likelihood of considering future VA employment.

RESULTS

While post-doctoral dentist and dental specialty trainees did not report significant differences, dental hygienist trainees reported increased overall satisfaction and an increased likelihood to consider future VA employment during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Similar reasons for dissatisfaction were identified for both the pre-pandemic and pandemic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Research outside VA indicates the pandemic's association with trainees' intentions to leave health profession education programs. Our results suggest the likely existence of factors that could lead to positive changes for at least some portion of the dental workforce. Future studies should explore those potential factors as some may be replicable in other settings or may apply to other health professions.

Generalized anxiety disorder in Brazilian undergraduate dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Explore the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and associated factors in undergraduate dental students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study. A semi-structured questionnaire addressing the variables of interest was shared with dental students between July 8 and 27 2020. The outcome was determined using the seven-item generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale. A 'positive' diagnosis was defined as a total of ≥10 points on the scale. Statistical analysis involved descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses, with the significance level set at 5%.

RESULTS

Among the 1050 students evaluated, 53.8% had a positive diagnosis for GAD. The multivariate analysis revealed that the prevalence of symptoms was higher among individuals who resided with more than three people, those enrolled at teaching institutions that suspended all clinical and laboratory activities, those who did not have an adequate home situation to maintain distance learning, those who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, those who felt anxious about having to see patients with a suspicion or diagnosis of COVID-19 and those who preferred to interrupt in-person academic activities until the population is vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of GAD was high. Aspects related to the composition and organization of the home, the suspension of academic activities, a history of COVID-19 contamination, feelings of anxiety in providing dental care to patients with symptoms/suspected of COVID-19 infection and the preference to interrupt in-person academic activities until the population is vaccinated for COVID-19 were factors predisposing the students to anxiety during the first wave of the pandemic.

Exploring stressors and coping strategies among dental students during COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused stress among undergraduate dental students; coping mechanisms might be employed to deal with such stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the coping strategies employed by dental students at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in response to their self-perceived stressors during the pandemic.

METHODS

An anonymous 35-item survey was distributed to all four cohorts of UBC undergraduate dental students enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year, 229 students in total. The survey gathered sociodemographic information, self-perceived COVID-19-related stressor, and coping strategies via the Brief Cope Inventory. Adaptive and maladaptive coping were compared among the years of study, self-perceived stressors, sex, ethnicity, and living situations.

RESULTS

Of the 229 eligible students, 182 (79.5%) responded to the survey. Of the 171 students that reported a major self-perceived stressor, 99 (57.9%) of them were stressed about clinical skill deficit due to the pandemic; fear of contraction was reported by 27 (15.8%). Acceptance, self-distraction, and positive reframing were the most used coping strategies among all students. The one-way ANOVA test revealed a significant difference in the adaptive coping scores among the four student cohorts (p = 0.001). Living alone was found to be a significant predictor for maladaptive coping (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The main cause of stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic for dental students at UBC is their clinical skills being negatively affected. Coping strategies including acceptance and self-distraction were identified. Continued mitigation efforts should be made to address students' mental health concerns and create a supportive learning environment.

Evaluation and Perception of the Immediate Impact of COVID-19 on Dental Education: An Observational Study

Background The primary aim of the study is to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected dental education for students and teachers, particularly concerning the efficiency of online teaching strategies for both clinical and academic outcomes. Additionally, it also emphasizes psychological behavior like stress and anxiety in the post-pandemic era due to academic pressure. Materials and methods The study included 300 undergraduate dental students from various years of studying and 31 teachers actively teaching in dental college from all nine departments. The questionnaire was created in Google Forms for both students and teachers. The questionnaire contained various aspects of an education system that was adopted post-pandemic. The questions were given to evaluate the opinions of students as well as teachers to understand which method of teaching is preferable for them. Whether it's an online method of teaching or the offline mode, out of which the majority of respondents preferred the offline method of teaching. Result Most of the respondents agreed that the pandemic had affected their academic as well as clinical performance. Online mode of learning was not as effective as face-to-face learning. It did not affect the students clinically but mentally, which made them more anxious and stressed out during their studies and preparation for exams. Teachers too had to face a lot of problems from technical aspects while teaching online which led to mental stress and anxiety. This study re-emphasizes the negative impact of COVID-19 on dental education. It also further highlights the more fundamental changes and improvements that are desperately needed in the education system to adapt and overcome the current pandemic situation and future such events. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educational institutions, curricula, and clinical practice. Dental students are particularly vulnerable, and online education platforms in India face challenges in regulation. The quality of materials, technical assistance, and expertise in online classes significantly impact teaching and learning experiences. The pandemic has led to concerns about students and staff contracting the disease, creating a skill gap in dental graduates, and loss of clinical exposure, causing more anxiety. To address these concerns, regular, open, and compassionate communication with students is essential. Educational institutions must undergo a transformation to adapt to the pandemic and potential future disasters.

Distance Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Education over the Past 30 Years: A Narrative Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic necessitated the use of distance education, which sparked a technological transformation that was long overdue in higher education. The purpose of this narrative review is two-fold: to summarize the state of knowledge regarding distance education in nutrition and dietetics education over the past 30 years to inform recommendations for future education/research and implications for practice and to determine the influence that distance education has had on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of both nutrition and dietetics educators and their students. A narrative review of 822 publications yielded 25 that met the search criteria. In the scope of 30 years, the literature shows that attitudes and perceptions of distance education have changed as barriers to online access have diminished and the availability of online nutrition and dietetics courses and Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics-accredited distance education programs has expanded. However, whereas the limited results are promising, the paucity of large-sample research about the use of distance education in nutrition and dietetics education restricts educators' knowledge of and ability to evaluate the learning outcomes of distance programs and courses. Moreover, differences in how accreditors, government agencies, and institutions define distance education could have significant influence on funding and financial aid benefits for students and research. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are provided given the relevance and importance of distance education to nutrition and dietetics education.

Stressors and mental health impacts of COVID-19 in dental students: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to mental health hazards to healthcare providers in general and to undergraduate dental students. The present study undertakes a scoping review to identify and discuss the mental health issues and stressors impacting dental students globally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A systematic search following the Joanna Briggs Institute's framework for scoping reviews was conducted on Embase, MEDLINE by Ovid, Web of Science, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and ERIC to identify peer reviewed publications published globally since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 until June 22, 2021. Manual search was also performed on Google scholar. Eligible studies were selected based on the predetermined set of criteria and focused specifically on mental health issues experienced by undergraduate dental students in the context of COVID-19.

RESULTS

Fifty-five publications were retained. Fifty-one reported stress, anxiety, or depression experienced by undergraduate dental students during the pandemic. Twenty-five studies employed validated psychometric instruments to explore mental health status among the same students. A total of 28 publications reported that the predominant concern for students was fear of infection, especially during patient interaction. Adapting to virtual learning, clinical skill deficit due to lack of/limited practical training and social isolation were other majorly reported stressors.

CONCLUSIONS

Many mental health issues and stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been identified. Mitigation of COVID-19-related stressors on dental students' mental health should be a priority across all dental academic institutions. Continued efforts should be made to create a supportive learning environment.

Introducing dental students to complete denture treatment in times of COVID-19: Students' responses

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic required changes in the complete denture courses to comply with lock-in and social distancing requirements. The objectives were to assess (a) dental students' interest in a required complete denture course and the prosthodontics specialty, (b) how much time students spent on studying background, lab, and clinical content, and (c) how difficult and helpful course components were. Additionally, open-ended responses concerning what the students liked and what they wanted to have changed were analyzed as well.

METHODS

After this "complete denture" course, 81 of 109 students responded to a web-based survey with questions about course content and design. This hybrid course consisted of weekly asynchronous virtual lectures, in-person simulated laboratory (sim lab) exercises, and synchronous virtual workshops.

RESULTS

Exactly 53.7% were much/very much interested in this course, with nobody considering prosthodontics as their specialty. The students studied on average of 79.61 minutes for 1 hour (of background-related lecture, 69.92 minutes for a lab-based lecture, and 77.00 minutes for a clinical-content lecture (p < 0.001). They evaluated clinical content as most difficult, lab content as less difficult, and background material as least difficult (3-point scale with 1 = not at all difficult: means = 1.90/1.85/1.80; p < 0.001). They rated background lectures as least helpful, clinical material as more helpful, and lab content as most helpful (5-point scale with 1 = most helpful: means = 2.33/2.67/2.96; p < 0.001). Open-ended answers showed exceptionally positive responses for content and pedagogy of sim lab and clinical content.

CONCLUSIONS

Gaining a better understanding of students' responses to hybrid "complete denture" courses is critical for optimally teaching this material in times of COVID-19.

COVID-19 pandemic and impact on dental education

Aim: The aim of the present study is to assess the perception of undergraduate students on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Brazilian dental education. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire hosted in Google Forms platform and publicized on Instagram® and Facebook®. The questionnaire was available between July 8-27, 2020. Absolute and relative frequencies were obtained for variables of interest using Pearson’s chi-squared and considering 95% confidence intervals. Prevalence of learning resource variables according to self-reported skin color, educational institution, and Brazilian region were presented using equiplots. Results: A total of 1,050 undergraduate dental students answered the questionnaire. Most students reported being in full-distance learning mode. Among the undergraduate students, 65.4% reported perceiving a very high impact in dental education, and 16.6% of students reported not being able to follow distance learning. In addition, 14% reported not having a personal laptop or desktop to study with, with this condition being more prevalent among non-white than white individuals. Conclusion: We conclude that Brazilian dental students perceived a high impact of COVID-19 on dental education, as well as one-sixth of the students reported not having adequate resources to continue with distance learning. It is important that different policies are developed at the institutional and governmental levels to reduce the impact of the pandemic on dental education.

Stress among dental students transitioning from remote learning to clinical training during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

To identify dental students' perceptions of stress over returning to in-person clinical training after remote learning required from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

This was a qualitative observational study. The sample was composed of undergraduate students (n = 47) in the final year of São Paulo State University, School of Dentistry, Araraquara program. The data were collected using a questionnaire created in Google Forms. The data was analyzed using the discourse of the collective subject technique.

RESULTS

More than half of the students (63.8%) reported experiencing stress in the transition from remote learning to clinical training. According to the students, the main causes of this stress were fear of COVID-19 infection or contamination (31.5%) and insecurity in their clinical treatment skills after having gone so long without training (25.5%). Half of the students surveyed (51.1%) exhibited at least one stress-related symptom. For most of the students (70.2%), remote learning was insufficient to prepare them for returning to in-person clinical activities. Performing laboratory pre-clinical activities prior to clinical training was the suggestion most frequently cited by the students (25.5%), as a way to avoid some of the stress associated with their return to in-person learning. The main coping strategies adopted by the students upon their return to in-person learning were making the most of their clinical training, planning cases, and studying relevant topics before treating patients (48.9%).

CONCLUSION

The dental students perceived high levels of stress during the transition from remote learning to clinical training.

Dietetics Students' Perceptions of Academic and Health Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examined dietetics students' perceptions of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacts on academics and mental and physical health. Data were collected via a cross-sectional online survey in February to March 2021 from undergraduate dietetics students across the United States. Among the 526 students who participated, during the fall 2020 semester, 87% experienced increased stress, 64% reported mental health concerns, and 32% reported disordered eating. Sixty-two percent agreed their program met educational needs; however, 62% also agreed COVID-19 negatively impacted the quality of education and 49% agreed to learning less than normal. Pandemic impacts are critical to consider as students enter dietetic internships and start careers.

Undergraduate dental students’ perspective of online learning and their physical and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

Background and objective

COVID-19 pandemic continuously spread exacerbating global concerns. It had impacted all life aspects such as social, cultural, economic and education. This study assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate dental students at Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on physical and mental health of undergraduate dental students.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire was administrated to 150 undergraduate dental students. The questionnaire included questions related to students’ demographic data, their concerns on academic achievement, their opinion on institution response, and the impact of the crisis on their mental and physical health. SPSS software v26.0 was used to analyse the collected data.

Results

A total of 147 respondents participated in the study. About 66% of the students felt comfortable in adapting to the new technology while 85.7% were concerned about the quality of online learning. Almost all students 98.6% expressed their doubts on the ability to pass the competency exams and to graduate on time, with only 49.7% agreed that clinical experience was effectively delivered through online classes. Most students were also concerned on the impact of the pandemic on their physical and emotional health 85.8% and 76.9% respectively.

Conclusions

The findings of our study highlight the positive adaptation of the students to online learning and using technology. On the other hand, the study indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic brings negative impacts on our students’ physical and mental health.

Post-secondary Student Mental Health During COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed notable challenges to post-secondary students, causing concern for their psychological well-being. In the face of school closures, academic disruptions, and constraints on social gatherings, it is crucial to understand the extent to which mental health among post-secondary students has been impacted in order to inform support implementation for this population. The present meta-analysis examines the global prevalence of clinically significant depression and anxiety among post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several moderator analyses were also performed to examine sources of variability in depression and anxiety prevalence rates. A systematic search was conducted across six databases on May 3, 2021, yielding a total of 176 studies (1,732,456 participants) which met inclusion criteria. Random-effects meta-analyses of 126 studies assessing depression symptoms and 144 studies assessing anxiety symptoms were conducted. The pooled prevalence estimates of clinically elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms for post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic was 30.6% (95% CI: 0.274, 0.340) and 28.2% (CI: 0.246, 0.321), respectively. The month of data collection and geographical region were determined to be significant moderators. However, student age, sex, type (i.e., healthcare student vs. non-healthcare student), and level of training (i.e., undergraduate, university or college generally; graduate, medical, post-doctorate, fellow, trainee), were not sources of variability in pooled rates of depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. The current study indicates a call for continued access to mental health services to ensure post-secondary students receive adequate support during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO website: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021253547.

Impact of COVID-19 on dental education- a scoping review

BACKGROUND

A new corona virus called COVID-19 and its epidemic has affected health care systems in many ways. There have also been significant changes in dental education. The present study summarizes the findings about dental education resulting from a scoping review of COVID-19 and dentistry.

METHODS

First, a comprehensive search of five databases (Google Scholar, Medline through PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central) was conducted with the keywords: COVID-19 and its equivalent terms, dentistry, education, oral, students, curriculum, and academics. Articles related to oral health and COVID-19 were searched. Then articles on the subject of dental education were screened and reviewed.

RESULTS

Of the 1389 articles investigating COVID-19 and dentistry, 135 articles were related to dental education and its relationship with COVID-19. The most articles in this field were from the United States, India, and Saudi Arabia. Most of the articles were cross-sectional and then review articles. Based on the review the articles were divided into two main categories of changes and concerns, and opportunities and solutions. Moreover, the following themes were extracted: teaching-learning quality and methods, study career and how students are prepared, infection control policies, theses, exams and assessments, financial and economic security, students and staff's mental health, school's policies and curricula, knowledge of students and staff about COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental education now faces big challenges, some of which have never been experienced before. On the other hand, the epidemic has created opportunities for dental education as well. Most of these challenges and opportunities are the same around the world, and the findings of the present study can be a good help to overcome the challenges ahead as well as a good reference to find the right questions to be answered in future studies.

Dental faculty well-being amid COVID-19 in fall 2020: A multi-site measure of burnout, loneliness, and resilience

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental school faculty's self-reported burnout, loneliness, and resilience.

METHODS

A 34-item questionnaire composed of three previously validated scales - adapted Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the brief resilience scale, and a short loneliness scale - and demographic information was sent by email to dental school faculty in four dental schools across the US during the sixth and seventh months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Two-hundred sixteen (19.63%) of faculty invited to participate completed the survey. On a scale of five, with five indicating extreme burnout and one indicating no burnout, the average personal burnout was 2.7 (SD = 0.83), and work-related burnout (WRB) was 2.8 (SD = 0.83). Personal and WRB decreased with increasing age. WRB was significantly higher among full-time faculty, females, and those living alone. Faculty who lived alone experienced more loneliness than those who lived with others. Resilience was not a statistically significant difference across demographic groups. Regarding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on their burnout, loneliness, and resilience on a scale ranging from "Never" (scored as 1) to "A great deal" (scored as 5), the average response for burnout was 3.3 (SD = 1.01), loneliness was 2.6 (SD = 1.10), and resilience was 2.8 (SD = 0.99).

CONCLUSION(S)

While self-reported burnout and resilience scores did not show a significant increase during the pandemic, the rates of burnout and loneliness remain higher than the public. Dental education has real challenges and opportunities to explore individual and organizational interventions to combat burnout and loneliness and enhance resilience among faculty.

Prevalence of Anxiety in Dental Students during the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychological state of university students has been a cause for concern. In particular, odontology students have experienced symptoms of anxiety due to the closure of universities and the suspension of clinical training. Methods: Medline via PubMed was searched for studies on the prevalence of anxiety in dental undergraduates, published from 1 December 2019 to 1 August 2021. Results: A total of fifteen studies were included in this review. Our results show a prevalence of anxiety of 35% reported by dental students, which was independent of gender, response rate or methodological quality. The only significant finding was a lower prevalence of anxiety in studies located in Europe compared to those located in other continents. Conclusions: The results suggest dental students are experiencing significant levels of anxiety during this COVID-19 pandemic and that there seem to be differences between students from different regions of the world. Therefore, it is important to help dental students psychologically as the pandemic situation continues.

Pedagogy and innovative care tenets in COVID-19 pandemic: An enhancive way through Dentistry 4.0

The global oral healthcare sector has now woken to implement Dentistry 4.0. The implementation of this revolution is feasible with extensive digital and advanced technologies applications and the adoption of new sets of processes in dentistry & its support areas. COVID-19 has bought new challenges to dental professionals and patients towards their customised requirements, regular dental health checkups, fast-paced and safe procedures. People are not visiting the dentist even for mild cases as they fear COVID-19 infection. We see that this set of technologies will help improve health education and treatment process and materials and minimise the infection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to understand the possible impact of Dentistry 4.0 for education and innovative care. This paper discusses the significant benefits of Dentistry 4.0 technologies for the smart education platform and dentistry treatment. Finally, this article identifies twenty significant enhancements in dental education and effective care platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic by employing Dentistry 4.0 technologies. Thus, proper implementation of these technologies will improve the process efficiency in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dentistry 4.0 technologies drive innovations to improve the quality of internet-connected healthcare devices. It creates automation and exchanges data to make a smart health care system. Therefore, helps better healthcare services, planning, monitoring, teaching, learning, treatment, and innovation capability. These technologies moved to smart transportation systems in the hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Modern manufacturing technologies create digital transformation in manufacturing, optimises the operational processes and enhances productivity.

Dental Education in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Recommendations

Moving within the second wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, dental education delivery has been profoundly affected by this crisis, so has the structure, evaluation, and future of dental education. Both pre-clinical and clinical dental education have experienced challenges ranging from fully online educational content to limited dental training for senior dental students. This crisis appears to be a tipping point that produced confusion in dental teaching especially clinical sciences. Although medical institutions immediately started to adapt to the unexpected COVID-19 crisis, dental and oral health educational services are profoundly impaired due to the dental team's propinquity to the patient and the aerosols generated during routine dental therapeutic procedures. Dental students unlike other medical students are considered to be at the highest risk due to the nature of their clinical training that includes working in the oral cavity of patients using aerosol-generating equipment. Some dental schools have taken the leadership and documented their modifications during this pandemic; however, there is a serious need for further investigation and wide range screening of the situation in the dental schools during the COVID-19 crisis. The aim of this mini-review is to present these challenges and how academic dental institutions have implemented strategies to overcome them.

COVID-19 and Dental and Dental Hygiene Students' Career Plans

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to investigate whether dental and dental hygiene students' career plans postgraduation were affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to examine wellness and readiness for clinical practice among students who reported a change in career plans.

METHODS

An anonymous online REDCap survey was developed and emailed to 436 dental and dental hygiene students at a US dental school. The survey consisted of 81 questions that covered demographics, career plans postgraduation, and readiness and wellness measures. An open-ended question assessing how students' career plans have changed during the pandemic was also included.

RESULTS

A total of 252 students completed the survey, of whom 11.5% reported that their plans for future dental practice have changed since the COVID-19 outbreak. Students who reported a change to their career plans had significantly higher mean perceived stress (20.1 vs. 16.3; P = 0.003) and anxiety (9.2 vs. 6.2; P = 0.004) scores and lower mean resilience (18.9 vs. 20.9; P = 0.01) scores than those who reported no change to their career plans. Concerns were raised regarding the limited employment opportunities, long-term stability of the dental profession, and the interruptions to clinical education and licensure examinations consequent to the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive effort inclusive of adeptly designed clinical and curriculum experiences paired with wellness interventions and support tailored to students is needed. These measures need to support trainees across varying years in training and resilience levels to be effective for dental and dental hygiene students as they approach their future career intentions in the dental profession. Additional longitudinal research is needed to assess if change in career intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic corresponds with actual change postpandemic and affects the dental profession.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

This study explores the potential short-term change in career intentions of dental hygiene and dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings can inform workforce planning as well as interventions developed and implemented by academic dental institutions to support student wellness during unexpected and prolonged emergency situations.