Prevalence of oral conditions and associated factors among schoolchildren in Accra, Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of oral diseases on children cannot be overemphasized because their effects may go beyond the individual to the household and the community at large. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of common oral conditions in children between the ages of 9 and 16 years in Accra. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among participants from 16 selected junior high schools in Accra. Their caries experience was assessed using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. Other variables recorded were age, sex, previous history of a dental visit, and the presence of other common oral conditions (ie, periodontal disease, traumatised teeth, oral mucosal lesions, neoplasia, cysts, and malocclusion). Summaries and descriptive statistics were generated and reported. The DMFT was compared between subgroups, and the χ2 test was used to compare outcomes of categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 1118 students participated in the study. This consisted of 37.8% males and 62.2% females. The mean age was 12.8 (standard deviation = 1.7) years. Common oral conditions were found in 49.7% of the participants and the prevalence of caries, periodontal disease, and malocclusion were found to be 13.3%, 30.4%, and 11.3%, respectively. The population's mean DMFT was found to be 0.27 (standard deviation = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of caries and periodontal disease calls for additionaleffort to reduce the burden of common oral conditions in Ghanaian children.

Dental Education With the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ghanaian Dental Students' Experience.

Introduction: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Ghanaian tertiary institutions were closed down and resorted to online teaching. This posed a challenge for dental education due to requirements of clinical tutoring and patient handling. This study explored the experiences of dental students with the change in teaching methods during the pandemic with the aim of assessing their effectiveness and explore measures for their improvement. Materials and Methods: This was an online survey involving undergraduate dental students in the two dental schools in Ghana. An e-questionnaire was sent out to all the students, exploring their knowledge of and response to the pandemic and assessing the impact of measures implemented during the pandemic to assist them complete their education. Results: Two hundred out of 412 students participated in the study giving a response rate of 48.5%; however, completed responses were available for 195 students, 123 (63.1%) from the University of Ghana Dental School and 72 (36.9%) from the Kwame Nkrumah University School of Medicine and Dentistry. There were 106 (54.4%) females;108 participants (54.4%) were pre-clinical students. One hundred and sixty-four (84%) respondents believed dental professionals had a higher risk of contagion because of proximity to patients during treatment and 115(59.0%) reported being fearful of performing clinical procedures. The students demonstrated adequate knowledge of the disease and a positive attitude towards the required changes instituted because of the pandemic. They however, highlighted technical obstacles and distraction as some of their challenges. The quality of internet was acceptable, but the volume of data was inadequate to meet their needs. Also, though both Universities had their own recommended learning management systems, Zoom was the preferred online learning platform. Conclusions: Generally, the students demonstrated a positive attitude towards the required changes. A blended educational approach may continue to be ideal for dental education as we adapt to this pandemic. Innovative ways may need to be sought to improve the online experience and the University approved online learning management systems enhanced to make them more user friendly.

Introduction: En raison de la pandémie de COVID-19, tous les établissements d'enseignement supérieur ghanéens ont été fermés et ont eu recours à l'enseignement en ligne. Cela a posé un défi pour l'enseignement dentaire en raison des exigences de tutorat clinique et de traitement des patients. Cette étude a exploré les expériences des étudiants en médecine dentaire avec le changement des méthodes d'enseignement pendant la pandémie dans le but d'évaluer leur efficacité et d'explorer des mesures pour leur amélioration. Méthodes: Il s'agissait d'une enquête en ligne impliquant des étudiants en médecine dentaire de premier cycle dans les deux écoles dentaires du Ghana. Un questionnaire électronique a été envoyé à tous les étudiants, explorant leurs connaissances et leur réponse à la pandémie et évaluant l'impact des mesures mises en oeuvre pendant la pandémie pour les aider à terminer leurs études. Résultats: 200 étudiants sur 412 ont participé à l'étude, ce qui donne un taux de réponse de 48,5%; cependant, des réponses complètes étaient disponibles pour 195 étudiants, 123 (63,1%) de l'École dentaire de l'Université du Ghana et 72 (36,9%) de l'École de médecine et de dentisterie de l'Université Kwame Nkrumah. Il y avait 106 femmes (54,4%); 108 participants (54,4%) étaient des étudiants précliniques. Cent soixante-quatre (84%) répondants pensaient que les professionnels dentaires avaient un risque plus élevé de contagion en raison de la proximité des patients pendant le traitement et 115 (59,0%) ont déclaré avoir peur d'effectuer des procédures cliniques. Les étudiants ont démontré une connaissance adéquate de la maladie et une attitude positive envers les changements requis institués en raison de la pandémie. Ils ont cependant souligné les obstacles techniques et la distraction comme certains de leurs défis. La qualité d'Internet était acceptable, mais le volume de données était insuffisant pour répondre à leurs besoins. De plus, bien que les deux universités aient leurs propres systèmes de gestion de l'apprentissage recommandés, Zoom était la plate-forme d'apprentissage en ligne préférée. Conclusions: En général, les étudiants ont démontré une attitude positive envers les changements requis. Une approche pédagogique mixte peut continuer à être idéale pour l'enseignement dentaire alors que nous nous adaptons à cette pandémie. Des moyens innovants devront peut-être être recherchés pour améliorer l'expérience en ligne et les systèmes de gestion de l'apprentissage en ligne approuvés par l'Université seront améliorés pour les rendre plus conviviaux.

Residency training in Ghana: the residents' perspective.

BACKGROUND: Prior to 1973, West African citizens completed postgraduate medical and surgical training abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom. In 2003, the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons were established respectively and began to offer specialized training locally. The aim of this study was to obtain and evaluate the views of Medical and Surgical Residents of the GCPS on their training in Ghana. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken whereby a 25 item, self-administered questionnaire, was distributed to 170 residents of Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals in Ghana. Information regarding the residents' sociodemographic characteristics, level of residency, and satisfaction with the programs in terms of clinical supervision, didactic teaching, program duration and research training was collected. RESULTS: 117 residents completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 68.8%. 59.8% were males and 40.2% females. The age of the residents ranged from 25 to 40 years with a mean age of 32.7+1.4 years. Majority of residents (92.3%) were satisfied with the duration of the programs . Slightly more than half of the residents (50.4%) were satisfied with the clinical supervision, however only a third of the respondents (33.3%) were satisfied with the didactic teaching and an even smaller percentage (17.1%) with research training. CONCLUSION: Whilst majority of residents were satisfied with the duration of the residency program, the perspective of the respondents was that trainees would benefit from additional didactic teaching and increased research exposure. FUNDING: None.