The scope of dental education during COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction COVID‐19 forced e‐learning processes to develop abruptly and posed challenges to the educational infrastructure. Emergency Remote Teaching was designated to distinguish the new educational scheme. This concept involves production of online activities that may return to face‐to‐face format as soon as the isolation period ends. Objective From March through September of 2020, this systematic review attempted to elucidate experiences, benefits, and challenges enforced in dental education due to the pandemic, the learning technologies, and methods used to maintain education. Methods A literature search was conducted on Cochrane, Embase, Lilacs, Livivo, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Gray literature was also contemplated. Studies in which online teaching methods were described and dental learners were the subjects during pandemic were included. Results Learning technology, pedagogical model, knowledge gain, and dental learners’ satisfaction and attitudes toward remote learning were assessed. The Joanna Briggs Institute JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Reports was applied as the methodological quality assessment to the 16 included studies. Assessments were related to demographic and historical characteristics of the participants, the intervention procedure, pre‐ and post‐intervention descriptions, and identification of unanticipated events. All studies described the use of learning technology to ensure education continuity, and 15 studies highlighted the pedagogical model applied. Eight studies investigated knowledge gain while 12 searched the learners’ satisfaction with online technologies. Conclusion The evidence suggests that learning technologies can support continuity in dental education. Reported problems include poor knowledge of faculty members on how to deal with technology, Internet connection, and content transition to online education.

Impact of COVID-19 on Dental Education

“…A recent systematic review identified that the Zoom® platform was the preferred one among interviewees in studies included in this research [23]. Zoom® offers videoconferencing services for up to 1000 participants, with several possibilities, such as recordings, transcriptions, screen sharing, sending and receiving of files and chatting [24].…”

“…Reported difficulties included the limited knowledge of the teaching staff on technology, the availability and quality of students' connection to the internet [13,23,31], extra expenses for increasing internet franchise [13], inadequacy of some topics for the online version [23,41], lack of development of clinical skills and communication with patients [2], lack of attention on the part of students [13,31,40], lack of motivation and lack of adequate books or study material in their homes [31], the intensive nature of resources, student misbehavior [40], time management difficulties [31] and lack of electronic devices, especially in middle- [41] and low-income countries [46].…”

A rapid review of the effectiveness of alternative education delivery strategies in medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy education during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Reviews have also highlighted the challenges in migrating to remote education 11,12 which include poor knowledge of staff on how to deal with technology, poor internet connections and difficulty in transitioning content for online learning. 11,12 By contrast, some students and staff report satisfaction with remote learning, 2,13 especially when collaboration and engagement with peers is facilitated. 2 A preliminary search of repositories specific to COVID-19 literature identified several existing reviews of alternative education delivery strategies for medical and healthcare students during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Intention of Collaboration among Dental Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration and teamwork through online modules were often imperative to facilitate and support the learning process and the exam system worldwide [22][23][24][25]. In this way, the learning process of technical skills and theoretical knowledge of dental subjects and the cultivation of ICS were accomplished at the same time by teamwork assignments [26].…”