COVID-19 and dental clinical practice: Students and clinical staff perceptions of health risks and educational impact

Abstract

Purpose/Objectives: Due to the nature of the profession, dental healthcare workers are exposed to infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the severity of the pandemic presents challenges to dental education institutions worldwide. This study investigated dental students and clinical staff perceptions of health risks and impacts on clinical competence of working in teaching clinics during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: A 39-item survey composed of closed and open questions was sent to students and clinical staff of a prominent Australasian dental school. Questions focused on students and clinical staff perceived impact of COVID-19 on their health, clinical safety and dental education. Results: The majority of staff and students perceived their health to be at risk and this increased their stress and impacted clinical performance, particularly for students. The production of aerosols and violation of cross-infection protocols by some students were the main perceived contributors to COVID-19 cross-infection in teaching clinics. Both students and staff considered the closure of teaching clinics would cause extreme impacts on students’ clinical competence; however, online case-based discussions and tutorials were suggested as potential alternative teaching methods that could be adopted during that period. Conclusion(s): The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic also bring opportunities for dental education development; mainly in terms of infection prevention and control improvement, preparedness to respond to future contagious diseases, and exploring the benefits of online learning in dentistry.