ABSTRACT
The Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19), was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, and registered the first case in Costa Rica on March 6, 2020, and 105 days later reported 2058 cases, with a wide age range (0-92 years). Its etiologic agent is the beta coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with confirmed human-to-human transmission, mainly by the respiratory route. The presence of asymptomatic carriers of the virus and its transmission even without the manifestation of symptoms challenges health professionals worldwide. For this reason, assuming all patients who need dental care as possible carriers of the SARS-CoV-2 is mandatory and consequently, applying biosecurity measures with strict criteria. In the present literature review, we aim to recommend biosecurity measures to be applied during imaging examinations of dental patients due to the Coronavirus-2019 pandemic. We found that in the absence of treatment for COVID-19 disease and because of its high transmissibility, the most effective measures to prevent its spread are those allowing its containment. Therefore, the authors recommend: 1) acquiring imaging exams just in case of dental urgencies or emergencies, 2) prioritizing the use of extraoral exams, such as panoramic radiography or CBCT, under the principle of ALADAI and 3) the intraoral exams should be used just in case of a lack of extraoral imaging devices, or because of the need to solve diagnostic tasks in which they have a superior diagnostic value than those of the extraoral examinations. © 2020, Universidad de Costa Rica. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate perception and feelings experienced by dentistry professors and students about distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty professors and fifty-two students reported the perceptions and implications of distance learning imposed by the pandemic of COVID-19. The participants' answers were analyzed using the qualitative-quantitative method of the collective subject's discourse. The answers were summarized in central ideas, distributed in absolute and relative frequency. The answers with similar central ideas were grouped, obtaining the discourse of the collective subject. The similar central ideas about distance learning addressed by professors and students were: suitable for didactic courses;limited laboratory and clinical courses, and internet access difficulties. Specifically for professors: a complement to classroom teaching;stress and learning with digital technologies;difficulty in reconciling classes with domestic activities;concerns with motivation and interaction with students;asynchronous lectures favor knowledge fixation, and synchronous lectures favor interaction with students;unreliable assessment methods;concern about returning to face-to-face classes. For the students: it was applied to all courses;demotivating;fundamental to guide studies;professors' commitment;long lectures;excessive school activities;difficult attendance control and evaluation;the comfort of being at home;impact on research. Professors considered distance learning as a learning opportunity on how to use digital technologies but too limited for lab and clinical activities and interaction with students. Students found it discouraging due to the absence of practical classes and excessive school activities. © 2022, Universidad de Costa Rica. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to assess the use and experience with digital communication tools among dentistry professors and students to adapt to distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nine hundread and ninety five participants (479 dentistry professors and 516 students) from countries in North America, Latin America, Brazil, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East answered a questionnaire about motivation/stress/anxiety;practice with digital technologies;synchronous/asynchronous communication technologies (difficulties/benefits), and which ones would they prefer using when returning to college. Data were analyzed by the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact (alpha=0.05). Motivation was more affected among the female professors, male students, and Brazilians (p<0.05). Concern about the academic future, was higher among female students, up to 30 years old, from Latin America and Brazil, and lower for European professors (p<0.05). Anxiety and stress were higher for undergraduate students up to 20 years old from Latin America and Brazil (p<0.05). European professors used more synchronous videoconferencing services for lectures/questions, while Brazilians used more text messaging applications for answering questions (p<0.05). Latin American professors used more surveys for evaluation (p<0.05). Brazilian professors indicated that they would use "online meetings" and "survey administration services" when returning to face-to-face activities and European professors/students would use "email" (p<0.05). Professors from Asia/Oceania/Middle East and professors/students from Brazil indicated "remote activities were important for students not to be inactive" (p<0.05). Efforts were made to adapt Dentistry's teaching to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the technologies used for this, feelings, and experiences differed between professors and students.