Distance learning in Dental education during the Covid-19 pandemic: pros vs. cons, Okan Kitapçı, Mehmet Özyurt, Hatice Kalender, Nur Sisman-Kitapçı, Burcu Aksoy, Özge Hücüvvetoğlu, Emine Tuğba Beyhan, Sertaç Sırma, Şükrü Can Akmansoy, Umit Karacaylı, Meral Yay, John A.G. Buchanan, Yasemin Kulak Özkan, Gonca Mumcu, Farida Fortune
Dr. Okan Kitapçı1, Mehmet Özyurt2, Hatice Kalender1, Dr. Nur Sisman-Kitapçı1, Burcu Aksoy3, Özge Hücüvvetoğlu2, Emine Tuğba Beyhan2, Sertaç Sırma4, Dr. Şükrü Can Akmansoy5, Prof. Umit Karacaylı 6, Assoc. Prof. Meral Yay7, Assoc. Prof. John A.G. Buchanan8, Prof. Yasemin Kulak Özkan9, Prof. Gonca Mumcu1, Prof. Farida Fortune8
1 Department of Health Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2 PhD Students, Institute of Health Sciences, 3 MSc Student, Institute of Health Sciences, 4 IT Director, Faculty of Dentistry, 5 Research Assistant, Faculty of Dentistry, 9 Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
6 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Health Sciences University, Ankara, Turkey
7 Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science and Arts, Mimar Sinan Fine Art University, Istanbul, Turkey
8 Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, and Behçet’s Centre of Excellence, Barts Health Trust, London, UK.
Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the pros vs. cons of Distance Learning (DL) in dental education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodology: Six hundred and eight dental students (Preclinical/Clinical: 353/255) were included in the cross-sectional study. Data were collected through open-ended questions related to 3 pros vs. cons of DL in an online questionnaire.
Findings: In the study, the advantages (n=1782) were “Re-accessing to the course at the desired time” (n=442, 24.8%) and “Being able to attend courses at home or any environment” (n=301, 16.9%) whereas “Practical training without teaching preclinical and clinical activities (n=346, 19,4%) and “Technical glitches” (n=310, 17,4%) were the disadvantages (n=1780).
Originality: Even though DL provided more accessible courses to dental students, developing professional competence appeared to be a fundamental issue to consider during the process.
Keywords: Distance learning, Dental education, Professional competence.