The disruption in oral care delivery has been profound for many people. The change has not been limited to check-ups, diagnosis and treatment of patients but also encompasses business practices, profitability and employment contracts.
Dental education is a clear imperative, where human contact is central to activity. The lack of practical experience has been a struggle during my final two years at dental school, and I must say I did feel it impacting on my mental health and wellbeing, due to the blow in confidence and the feeling of being not skilled enough. I'm 100% sure I am not alone in this and this is reinforced by many surveys in different dental journals. For new students there must have been other set backs such as difficulty making friends due to not being able to undergo face-to-face learning.
Although there were negatives, the positives are looking up. Students have been happy to get back to campus or student housing recently, get back to being with friends and peers and continue their education.
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