The impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors among dentists.

BACKGROUND: This study seeks to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors among dentists. METHODS: Changes in knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors reported in 2020 (COVID-19 period) were compared to the historical control of the non-COVID-19 period in 2018. A proportional random sampling method was used to select the study samples from 400 dental institutions. The response rate was 69% in 2018 and 62.8% in 2020. A total of 276 dentists in 2018 and 251 dentists in 2020 responded to this questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the associations between factors and recommended infection control practices. RESULTS: High rates of correct COVID-19 knowledge (94.76%), fears of being infected with the virus (94%) and use of personal protective equipment (mask, glove and protection gown; 95%) were reported. We found that knowledge regarding environmental infection control, HIV transmission, and the window of HIV transmission were significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 period compared with the pre-COVID-19 period. High compliance rates of wearing mask, gloves and protection were reported. The number of dentists wearing a hair cap and a protective eye mask/face shield during the pandemic significantly increased compared with that noted before the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors associated with the use of a hair cap and an eye mask/face shield differed between the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. The factors associated with compliance regarding environment infection control also differed between the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. CONCLUSION: The significant impact of COVID-19 on the knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors among dental care workers was observed in the current study. In particular, the use of hair caps and protective eye mask or face shields as well as environmental disinfection protocols has significantly improved. Trial registration TMU-JIRB: N201804006.

Perceived stress and career planning awareness of Japanese and Taiwanese undergraduate dental hygiene students.

Background/purpose: Dental hygiene students' stress might be rising with increasing undergraduate study content and expansions in dental hygienists' roles and expectations as society changes. This study explored Japanese and Taiwanese dental hygiene students' perceptions of stress and their idea of career planning. Materials and methods: Participants were second- to fourth-year students in the 2020 academic year at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU; n = 60) and Taipei Medical University (TMU; n = 62). An anonymous questionnaire was distributed, which included questions on demographic information and career planning, as well as the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and modified Dental Environment Stress questionnaire (DES). Results: The response rates were 100.0% (TMDU) and 96.8% (TMU). The number of participants who chose dental hygiene as the first program choice (P < 0.001) and wished to work as dental hygienists after graduation (P = 0.018) in TMDU was significantly higher than in TMU. There was no significant difference between the two schools' stress levels in both PSS-10 and DES-26. The factors influencing students who wished to work as dental hygienists after graduation were "clinical year or not" (P = 0.007) in TMDU, and the DES factor included items related to lack of confidence in becoming a successful and competent dental hygienist, expectations, and fear of the future (P = 0.033) in TMU. Conclusion: Both schools' students experienced moderate or relatively low levels of stress. TMDU students had higher stress related to academic studies, while TMU students had slightly higher stress related to future anxiety.

Critical thinking education for dental schools in Asia: Perceptions of educators.

Teaching competence in critical thinking is an important element of undergraduate dental curricula. The pedagogy for critical thinking education in Asia requires further discussion and neither the current situation nor the possible challenges are widely known from the perspectives of dental educators. Therefore, seven educators from four countries gathered online in the summer of 2021 to share the current situation and possible challenges. All the participants considered "critical thinking" was "important" (43%) or "very important" (57%), however, 86% mentioned that they faced challenges in delivering education in critical thinking. The challenges to delivering critical thinking education were insufficient time in the curriculum and lack of human resources; lack of information on appropriate teaching methods for the student population; and no established methods of assessment. How to teach and assess critical thinking therefore requires more brainstorming, and raising the awareness of educators to implement this education might be necessary.