Microbiology
Maryam Omidkhoda; Ali Kazemian; Seyedeh Zahra Siadatifar; Athar Nasseri
Abstract
Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges for healthcare professionals, particularly in the field of dentistry. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in infection control measures in dentistry before and during the pandemic among Iranian dentists.Methods: An analytical cross-sectional ...
Read More
Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges for healthcare professionals, particularly in the field of dentistry. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in infection control measures in dentistry before and during the pandemic among Iranian dentists.Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2020, and included dental healthcare professionals (DHCPs) practicing dentistry in Iran. Participants completed a web-based survey that included demographic profiles, practice-related details, and information on implemented infection control measures. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using the software SPSS v. 26, and a P-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 303 dentists, 200 (66%) of whom practiced specialized dentistry and 103 (34%) were general dentists, responded to the questionnaire. The majority of participating dentists (85.5%) were aware of the importance of patient screening for COVID-19 symptoms. There was a statistically significant rise in adherence to hand hygiene practices. The utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, masks, and face shields also exhibited significant increases amid the pandemic. Dentists shifted from using surgical masks to N95 respirators (p=0.05) and white coats to disposable gowns (p<0.001). We noted a significantly greater tendency towards adopting air ventilation systems, surface disinfection and prescribing preprocedural mouth rinses among DHCPs.Conclusion: The study findings indicate increased compliance with infection control protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic among Iranian DHCPs and highlight the modifications made to infection control measures in dentistry.
Education
Neda Eslami; Samira Farzin; Athar Nasseri Mojarad
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess perception of students on the educational environment of Mashhad Dental School using the DREEM questionnaire.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 427 DREEM questionnaires were completed by dental students attending Mashhad Dental School during the academic ...
Read More
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess perception of students on the educational environment of Mashhad Dental School using the DREEM questionnaire.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 427 DREEM questionnaires were completed by dental students attending Mashhad Dental School during the academic year of 2020-2021. The questionnaire contained five different domains including: student perceptions of learning, student perceptions of teachers, student academic self-perception, student perception of the educational atmosphere, and students social self-perception. The overall score and the scores of each domain of the DREEM questionnaire were then compared among the students. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was set as significant.Results: Both the total score and the score of each domain of the DREEM questionnaire were all less than 2. Comparing the mean scores of each domain, basic sciences students had significantly higher scores in the “student perception of learning” domain than clinical sciences students. The mean overall score of DREEM and each domain were not significant between the two sexes. There were no questions in the "acceptable" status, 36 questions were in the "problematic”, and 14 were “in need of attention” status.Conclusion: This study showed that students attending the Mashhad Dental School do not have a positive perception of the educational environment. Therefore, more coherent educational planning is required to improve the quality of the educational environment.
