The effect of the coronavirus disease-2019 challenge on oral and dental health education: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The effects of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on theoretical education and practical-clinical trainings of dentistry have been highly destructive, and electronic learning (e-learning) with various advantages and disadvantages is the only way in this period for education in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 challenge on dental health trainings worldwide through a systematic review study.
METHODS: The keywords containing “education”, “dentistry”, and “Corona virus” were extracted from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and the precise query of the research was designed. Then, the searches were performed in five main electronic databases, i.e., PubMed, Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar, with no time and place limitations. In order to complete the study, manual search was also performed. Then, the studies were screened according to the systematic instructions of the review and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) chart was designed. Finally, the selected studies were reviewed to extract the required information.
RESULTS: Eventually, the studies included in the final review were 12 (out of 1851). The present study showed that the study situation during the COVID-19 outbreak was mainly based on online instructions, teleconference, and video conferencing around the world, aiming at distance learning. In some countries, hands-on learning and home-based simulation learning (HBSL) have been the widely used methods to train dental practical courses during the pandemic. Regarding the item of “the effect of COVID-19 on theoretical training and knowledge”, the students' general satisfaction and positive attitudes showed that e-learning has been successful in the coverage of theoretical courses. In the item of “the status of clinic training during the pandemic”, it was revealed that changes in training practical courses led to dissatisfaction with performance, reduced self-esteem, and insufficient training to dental students; thus, they asked for supplementary and review courses in the training program.
CONCLUSION: There have been gaps in preparation, facilities, policies, and feedback of dental colleges around the world in training dental courses in the conditions of crisis. Therefore, it is suggested to perform further studies to investigate the efficiency and effectiveness of technology-based learning (TB learning).