Awareness of dental practitioners and intern dental practitioners in Northern Cyprus towards pandemic of SARS-CoV-2.

AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the perception, attitude, and awareness of dental practitioners (DPs) and intern DPs towards SARS-COV-2 by comparing the awareness-attitude score (AAS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was generated in Google Forms. An invitation email was sent to all DPs in Northern Cyprus (n = 270) and intern DPs at Near East University (n = 200). Data were blindly collected from March 2020 to May 2020. Participants received 1 point for each correct answer. By adding up all collected points, an AAS was determined. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The questionnaire was answered by 228 DPs (84% response-rate). No statistically significant difference was detected between gender-groups in terms of AAS (P = 0.301). A significant difference was detected between occupation groups in terms of AAS (P = 0.006), and of these, dentist-academician-group exhibited superior score. Other tested variables (specialty, way of occupation, place of occupation, and duration of occupation) had no influence on the AAS (P > 0.05). Relation between age and AAS was statistically significant (P = 0.054, Spearmen Correlation). Increasing age increases AAS as linear relation was detected between these variables (P = 0.011, Linear Regression). The questionnaire was also answered by 182 intern DPs (91% response-rate). No significant difference was detected between gender-groups (P = 0.378). Correlation was insignificant between age and AAS (P = 0.933). CONCLUSIONS: Occupation is the only variable influencing AAS of DPs. Academicians exhibited superior knowledge regarding SARS-CoV-2. The AASs of DPs and intern DPs were analogous.

INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON DENTAL EDUCATION IN CYPRUS: PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS WITH E-LEARNING STRATEGIES

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the necessity of social isolation led education to be distance- and online instead of face-to-face (F2F). Education strategies became more challenging for the educationalists at dentistry faculties, since dental education is based on mostly practical tutorials. All over the world, the faculties tried to develop policies to protect the health of students and academic staff, as well as to ensure the continuity and quality of education. In our faculty (Near East University Faculty of Dentistry), online education was held for the spring semester with the aid of distance learning and the information technology centre of the university. In this study, it was aimed to examine the background of the virus, the proactive measures in the dental setting to combat COVID-19 outburst, and information technology-based educational measures adopted in Cyprus to ensure the continuation of dental education. The strategies used for online education in our faculty, the difficulties that were encountered, and future recommendations for e-learning were declared. Moreover, students' perception and satisfaction regarding online education model both for theoretical (120 students, response rate 78%) and practical lectures (220 students, response rate 82%) were investigated. With this regard, students were asked to answer reflective questions. Descriptive data were presented. A considerable number of the students stated that practical implementations should have been conducted F2F. Most of the students emphasised that online theoretical courses are more advantageous than F2F ones.