The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Romanian Postgraduate Periodontal Residency Teaching: Past Experience, Present Imperatives and Future Considerations in a Multicentric Evaluation.
Cristina Andrada Costea, Dora Maria Popescu, Alexandra Roman, Ștefan-Ioan Stratul, Petra Șurlin, Marius Negucioiu, Iulia Cristina Micu, Andreea Ciurea, Patricia Ondine Lucaciu, Luminița Lazăr, Doina Elena Mircioagă, Andrada Soancă
Author Information
Cristina Andrada Costea: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Victor Babeş St., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Dora Maria Popescu: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Craiova, 2 Petru Rares St., 200349 Craiova, Romania. ORCID
Alexandra Roman: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Victor Babeş St., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. ORCID
Ștefan-Ioan Stratul: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Anton Sculean Research Center for Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Bulevardul Revoluției din 1989, No. 9, 300230 Timișoara, Romania.
Petra Șurlin: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Craiova, 2 Petru Rares St., 200349 Craiova, Romania.
Marius Negucioiu: Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor St., No. 32, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Iulia Cristina Micu: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Victor Babeş St., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. ORCID
Andreea Ciurea: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Victor Babeş St., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Patricia Ondine Lucaciu: Department of Oral Health, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Victor Babeş St., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. ORCID
Luminița Lazăr: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, Str. Gheorghe Marinescu Nr. 38, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania. ORCID
Doina Elena Mircioagă: Department of Physical Education, University Sport Research Center for Evaluation of Fitness Level-CUSENF, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Eftimie Murgu Square, No. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
Andrada Soancă: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Victor Babeş St., No. 15, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. ORCID
The aims of this study were to identify the challenges in periodontology postgraduate residency programs during the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying the modifications of educational instruments, to evaluate the impact of hybrid education on periodontology postgraduate programs in terms of resident-centred outcomes, and to evaluate the education efficiency of an innovative teaching approach. Resident doctors from three Romanian dental faculties were included in study groups based on the intensity of clinical training. A web-based questionnaire was used to collect information on residents' perception about teaching activity. Important educational changes were identified. Moreover, residents learned a periodontal procedure through online training and then performed it on preclinical models three times. The working times were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed. Resident doctors were unsatisfied with clinical practice during the pandemic year, but they positively valued the development of online courses. Learning efficiency improved by repeating the same procedure on preclinical models, as proved by the significant decrease of the working times. E-learning was appreciated as an important component of the new hybrid teaching approach. Reorganization and further emphasis on both preclinical and medical practice, targeted to aid residents perform more accurate and efficient procedures, are recommended.
