Hong Kong dental students’ views on the impact of COVID 19 on their dental education

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has had considerable impact on educational activities globally. Objectives: The aims of our community health project were to determine Hong Kong dental students’ views on the impact of COVID-19 on their dental education. In addition, to identify sociodemographic variations and COVID-19 related variations in their views. Methods: Anonymous questionnaires were collected from students who were engaged in clinical practice at our faculty. Levels of anxieties with respect to COVID-19, their reactions during the various waves of COVID-19, their concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on fulfilling graduation requirements, difficulties encountered at dental school, confidence in adopted protective measures, and their confidence in protocols to reduce the transmission of COVID- 19 at the dental school were assessed. Student-related variations in perceptions were determined. Results: The response rate to the survey was 96.6% (255 out of 264). Students’ level of anxiety was moderate (mean score 14.2/32) as was their reaction to COVID-19 (mean score 11.8/25). Concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on students’ ability to complete BDS graduate requirements was moderately high (mean score 8.0/15.0). Rarely were ‘very’ or ‘extreme’ difficulties encountered in the dental curriculum (mean score 3.7/24.0). Students had moderate to high levels (mean scores 34.0/68) of confidence in protective measures adopted by the faculty to mitigate against the transmission of COVID- 19. Students had moderate to high levels of confidence in protocols adopted to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among patients, staff, and students (mean score 11.9/24). Sociodemographic variations were apparent: BDS year and concern scores (p<0.05); gender and concern scores (p<0.05) and gender and effect scores (p<0.05); and place of residence and confidence in protective measures (p<0.05). Knowing someone who had COVID-19 was associated with anxiety scores (p<0.05), reaction scores (p<0.01), concern scores (p<0.001); limiting university extracurricular activities was associated with reaction scores (p<0.01), concern scores (p<0.01), and effect scores (p<0.01); and limiting social activities outside class was associated with anxiety scores (p<0.01). Conclusions: Students had a moderate level of anxiety about COVID-19 as was their reaction to it. They had concerns about fulfilling graduation requirements but rarely encountered considerable difficulties in their dental education. Students were generally confident of protective measures adopted by the faculty and the protocols to reduce transmission of COVID-19. Students’ perceptions varied with respect to the sociodemographic and COVID-19 related factors. These findings have implications for the delivery of dental education in Hong Kong during pandemic times.