ABSTRACT
Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and attitude of dentists toward geriatric dental care during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and methods: An online questionnaire survey was conducted among a self-selected sample of dentists from different parts of India. The first part of the questionnaire comprised 12 items that collected information regarding knowledge, and the second part comprised 14 items that assessed the attitude of participants toward geriatric dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Evaluating knowledge–65% of participants were aware of guidelines by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) for dentists that should be practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 93.6% were aware of post-COVID complications present in older adults after recovering from the acute phase of the disease. Evaluating attitude: A total of 69.8% of them found it difficult to deliver dental care to geriatric patients after following all the COVID-19 practice guidelines, and 97.1% of participants were willing to treat a post-COVID older adult in the dental clinic. Conclusion: A total of 69.8% of them found it difficult to deliver dental care to geriatric patients after following all the COVID-19 practice guidelines. Around 31.4% of dentists were not aware of the precautions to be taken to treat older adults with post-COVID complications. Hence there is a need for further studies on post-COVID complications and guidelines for treating the elderly during the pandemic. Clinical significance: As a consequence of newly emerged barriers and post-COVID complications, much poorer oral health outcomes might occur among geriatric patients in the near future. Hence it is important to understand the knowledge and attitude of dentists towards geriatric dental care in order to equip the already small workforce interested in geriatric oral health care. © The Author(s). 2023.
ABSTRACT
Background: Currently, India is witnessing another wave of COVID pandemic, where it has drastically disrupted most of the important aspects of human life including education. It has created an unparalleled education test, where campuses are closing and institutions have been transferred to online study protocols at numerous educational institutions worldwide. Internationalization has significantly slowed down. Some 32 crore students in India stopped moving to schools, and all educational practices are temporarily ended. The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have responded constructively, despite all of those difficulties, ensuring the consistency of teaching, study and contribution to society using those methods, and techniques during the pandemic. This survey study focuses on COVID-19's important impacts on India's HEIs. Some steps are taken to provide smooth education services during the crisis by HEIs, and education authorities in India have been addressed herein. Aim/Objectives: This study aimed to assess the need of online education during COVID-19 pandemic for Bachelor of Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology (MRIT) students at Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Science (DMIMS). Methodology: A total number of 60 students (includes only MRIT students under Allied Health Science at DMIMS) will be participating in this survey by means of answering the questionnaires, which include open-ended and closed-ended type of question patterns with signed consent from each student, and based on answers, we will be analyzing and interpreting the data for understanding the views of MRIT students. Expected Results: The offline mode of study for the Indian education system is more convenient than the online mode of study;however, during the COVID pandemic, Indian education system has adopted the online mode of study. Conclusions: Generally speaking, the offline mode of education is preferable than the online mode;however, in this pandemic, students prefer the online mode. There have been several new ways of learning introduced, as well as new prospects and new trends, which have allowed for the development of new ways of teaching learners, which has resulted in the generation of fruitful ideas for educational work in the pandemic. © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.