ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced dental schools to rapidly adapt complex curricula for distance learning. In order to design high-quality and effective online educational interventions and adapt dental curricula to the postpandemic "new normal," it is crucial to understand students' preparedness for and attitudes toward this rapid and unanticipated pedagogical shift. This survey study (58% response rate) explored entering first-year dental students' attitudes and beliefs regarding online learning and their prior experiences with various online activities. Students' experiences varied widely, but concern about the impact of personal or life stressors on their academic performance and fear of cheating on online exams were common. Students in academic programs immediately preceding dental school were significantly more confident in their computer-based learning skills. Additional interventions may be needed that prepare students for success in future online courses and to lessen potential disparities among students from diverse social and educational backgrounds.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Curriculum , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , StudentsABSTRACT
With several multiagency counterparts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Public Health Service, the New York State Department of Health, and many others, we discussed areas of concern and eventually developed processes for clean and unclean traffic flow in the locker room, personal protective equipment (PPE) donning and doffing, hand hygiene, N95 fit testing, preventing the transmission of other infectious diseases, and transforming a massive convention center from positive to negative air pressure-just to name a few. Through coordinated efforts with an onsite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention infectious disease physician and individuals from the US Public Health Service and the New York State Department of Health, policies were created that amplified the positive multiagency collaboration among organizations. The view(s) expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Brooke Army Medical Center, the US Army Medical Department, the US Army Office of the Surgeon General, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Air Force, or the Department of Defense or the US Government.