Abstract

SINGH, S; MOODLEY, R  and  MOODLEY, I. Students' knowledge, attitudes and practices related to infection control in undergraduate dental clinical training during COVID-19 A report from one South African university. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2022, vol.77, n.6, pp.336-343. ISSN 0375-1562.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2519-0105/2022/v77no6a3.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for renewed conversations in infection control in the context of dental undergraduate learning. OBJECTIVES: This study set out to examine dental therapy and oral hygiene students' knowledge, attitudes and practices related to infection control METHODS: This quantitative survey was conducted at one dental training site in South Africa. The study population comprised 156 full time enrolled students that was stratified into Year 1 (n=55), Year 2 (n=54) and Year 3 (n=47). An online, self-administered questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect information. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 (IBM Corp., USA) and thematic analysis RESULTS: The response rate for the study was 70.5% (n=111). Almost all participants (n=104) strongly agreed/agreed that COVID-19 is transmitted mainly through infected droplets. Most participants (Year 1: n=24, 22.5%; Year 2: n=28, 26.2%; Year 3: 22, 31.2%) strongly disagreed / disagreed that younger people were less susceptible to contracting COVID-19 disease. While 23 first (21.5%) and 16 second-year students (14.9%) strongly agreed/agreed that personal protective gear was sufficient protection against COVID-19, about 16 third-year students (14%) were unsure or disagreed. Almost all participants (n=105, 98.1%) strongly agreed/agreed to washing or sanitizing their hands regularly. The emergent themes from qualitative data analysis included: better access to resources and more coordinated planning for clinical and classroom-based learning CONCLUSION: There were inconsistencies in participants' knowledge and attitudes towards infection control. There is a need for ongoing awareness of infection control in both clinical and class-room based learning

Keywords : incontrol; COVID-19; dental students; learning.

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