Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Dental Education: Experience Sharing from a Malaysian Public University

Authors

  • Faizah Abdul Fatah Department of Conservative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Nor Azura Ahmad Tarmidzi Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pathology and Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Nor Haliza Mat-Baharin Department of Periodontology and Community Oral Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Diana Md Zahid Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Rohazila Mohamad Hanafiah Department of Basic Sciences and Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Nusima Mohamed Department of Conservative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Wan Nor Syariza Wan Ali Department of Conservative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
  • Zurairah Ibrahim Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33102/uij.vol33no1.297

Keywords:

COVID-19, pandemic, dental education, online learning, dentistry

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious disease that causes global outbreaks. The COVID-19 outbreak has forced various sectors to change their approach and daily practice to new alternatives. Dental education is no exception to the effects of this pandemic, which has severely disrupted teaching, learning and clinical activities. The impact of this pandemic on dental education can be classified into different aspects, including academic, practical, research and clinical services. Teaching and learning activities have been transformed into distance learning methods. However, dental educators are still struggling with psychomotor components, including practical and clinical sessions, which are the main course components that are severely affected. This sharing of experience focuses on the effects of the pandemic on the delivery of dental education and the actions taken by the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) to ensure continuous learning. The challenges faced by the faculty are overcome with careful planning and discussion through the establishment of specific committees related to various issues, such as online learning and clinical COVID-19 committees. The committees identify any issues, plan the strategies and monitor the implementation of the plan. All actions during the pandemic are closely monitored by managing the faculty and university to ensure implementation of organised and smooth work, good record keeping, and compliance with instructions and guidelines by the authority.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmed, M. A., Jouhar, R., Ahmed, N., Adnan, S., Aftab, M., Zafar, M. S., & Khurshid, Z. (2020). Fear and practice modifications among dentists to combat novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082821

American Dental Association. (2020). Summary of ADA guidance during the COVID-19 crisis. Ada, 19–20. https://www.ada.org/en/press-room/news-releases/2020-archives/april/summary-of-ada-guidance-during-the-covid-19-crisis?utm_source=mouthhealthy&utm_medium=covid-19-mh&utm_content=cv-gov—interim-statement&utm_campaign=covid-19

Chang, T. Y., Hong, G., Paganelli, C., Phantumvanit, P., Chang, W. J., Shieh, Y. S., & Hsu, M. L. (2021). Innovation of dental education during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Dental Sciences, 16(1), 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jds.2020.07.011

Chen, J. (2020). Pathogenicity and transmissibility of 2019-nCoV—A quick overview and comparison with other emerging viruses. Microbes and Infection, 22(2), 69–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2020.01.004

Dental Deans’ Caucus of Malaysia. (2020). Post COVID-19 RMO-Malaysian University Guideline for Clinical Dental Practice. Unpublished manuscript.

Estrich, C. G., Mikkelsen, M., Morrissey, R., Geisinger, M. L., Ioannidou, E., Vujicic, M., & Araujo, M. W. B. (2020). Estimating COVID-19 prevalence and infection control practices among US dentists. Journal of the American Dental Association, 151(11), 815–824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2020.09.005

Faculty of Dentistry USIM. (2020). Dental Guideline Post COVID-19. Unpublished manuscript.

Ghai, S. (2020). Teledentistry during COVID-19 pandemic. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews, 14(5), 933–935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.06.029

Huang, C., Wang, Y., Li, X., Ren, L., Zhao, J., Hu, Y., Zhang, L., Fan, G., Xu, J., Gu, X., Cheng, Z., Yu, T., Xia, J., Wei, Y., Wu, W., Xie, X., Yin, W., Li, H., Liu, M., … Cao, B. (2020). Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. The Lancet, 395(10223), 497–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5

Malaysian Qualification Agency. (2020). Panduan Pengendalian Program Pendidikan Tinggi Semasa Dan Pasca Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan COVID-19 (Vol. 21, Issue 1).

Ministry of Health Malaysia. (2020, March 25). Garis Panduan Pengendalian Isu-Isu Berhubung Penularan Jangkitan Wabak COVID-19 Di Perkhidmatan Kesihatan Pergigian Bil. 3/2020 [Press release]. http://ohd.moh.gov.my/images/pdf/GP_COVID19_DENTAL_BIL2_2020.pdf

Padala, P. R., Jendro, A. M., & Padala, K. P. (2020). Conducting clinical research during the COVID-19 pandemic: Investigator and participant perspectives. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 6(2), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.2196/18887

To, K. K. W., Tsang, O. T. Y., Yip, C. C. Y., Chan, K. H., Wu, T. C., Chan, J. M. C., Leung, W. S., Chik, T. S. H., Choi, C. Y. C., Kandamby, D. H., Lung, D. C., Tam, A. R., Poon, R. W. S., Fung, A. Y. F., Hung, I. F. N., Cheng, V. C. C., Chan, J. F. W., & Yuen, K. Y. (2020). Consistent detection of 2019 novel coronavirus in saliva. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71(15), 841–843. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa149

Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. (2020a). Panduan Ringkas e-Pembelajaran dan Pengajaran (Panduan untuk Tenaga Pengajar). Unpublished Manuscript.

Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. (2020b). Notis Kemasukan Semula Pelajar Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) Ke Kampus Secara Berperingkat. Unpublished Manuscript

Wee, L. E. I., Conceicao, E. P., Tan, J. Y., Magesparan, K. D., Amin, I. B. M., Ismail, B. B. S., Toh, H. X., Jin, P., Zhang, J., Wee, E. G. L., Ong, S. J. M., Lee, G. L. X., Wang, A. E. min, How, M. K. B., Tan, K. Y., Lee, L. C., Phoon, P. C., Yang, Y., Aung, M. K., … Ling, M. L. (2020). Unintended consequences of infection prevention and control measures during COVID-19 pandemic. American Journal of Infection Control, 000, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2020.10.019

World Health Organization. (‎2020)‎. Surface sampling of coronavirus disease (‎‎‎COVID-19)‎‎‎: a practical “how to” protocol for health care and public health professionals, 18 February 2020, version 1.1. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/331058

Published

2021-04-30

How to Cite

Abdul Fatah, F. ., Ahmad Tarmidzi, N. A. ., Mat-Baharin, N. H. ., Md Zahid, D., Mohamad Hanafiah, R., Mohamed, N. ., Wan Ali, W. N. S., & Ibrahim, Z. . (2021). Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Dental Education: Experience Sharing from a Malaysian Public University. Ulum Islamiyyah, 33(2), 166–178. https://doi.org/10.33102/uij.vol33no1.297