Dental education practices during COVID-19: A scoping review

Dental education was brought to a halt with the emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Traditional dental education comprised students working closely with instructors in a clinical laboratory setting; however, public health precautions necessitated a shift to a virtual learning platform. A scoping review of dental education practices since the start of the pandemic will help to understand approaches instructors have taken to provide dental education during this unprecedented time and suggest future applications of virtual learning in dental education.

We performed an exhaustive scoping literature search of primary peer-reviewed intervention articles published between December 2019 and April 2021 using the following databases: Academic Search Premier, Cochrane Library, Embase, ERIC, LitCovid, MedEdPortal, MedRxiv, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. The selection process included two independent reviewers through each phase of review. Articles were categorized and analyzed by domain.

A total of 629 articles were identified; after titles and abstracts were reviewed, 66 articles were selected for full-text review. Following full-text review, 41 articles met eligibility criteria and comprised our study sample. Articles were arranged within domains of assessment, instruction, instructional technology, and software. The advantages to online dental education included improved accessibility, willingness to accept new assessment techniques, and lower anxiety levels. Barriers included problems with technology, classroom time management, lack of student interaction, and absence of hands-on training.

Evidence suggests emerging best practices in dental education during COVID-19, and recommendations for the future of virtual and distance learning in dental education.