Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Jun 2021)

Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Professional Psychomotor Skills of Dental Students

  • Alrashed FA,
  • Sattar K,
  • Habib SR,
  • Ahmad T,
  • Al Rashoud AS,
  • SAFHI TAY,
  • Almajed AHM,
  • Alnafisah HAH,
  • Alharbi NH,
  • Alsubiheen A

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 675 – 685

Abstract

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Fahad Abdulaziz Alrashed,1 Kamran Sattar,2 Syed Rashid Habib,3 Tauseef Ahmad,2 Abdulaziz Saud Al Rashoud,3 Turki ali Y SAFHI,3 Abdulrhman Hamad M Almajed,3 Hamad Ali H Alnafisah,3 Norah Hamad Alharbi,3 Abdulrahman Alsubiheen4 1Department of Cardiac Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Fahad Abdulaziz AlrashedDepartment of Cardiac Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaEmail [email protected]: To estimate dental students’ self-perception of mental well-being (MWB) and its effects on their clinical psychomotor skills (CPS) once they (or their family members) get infected with COVID-19.Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional (n =268) study from a public dental college in Riyadh. We collected data on MWB and CPS. An 18-item online survey was used to collect the responses from the participants. The inter-rater reliability for the finalised survey came out to be 0.86.Results: The participants (54.3%) who were infected with COVID-19 recorded that their CPS were significantly affected (almost 4 times higher) as compared to others (OR= 4.02; P=0.0004). However, 42.2% reported infection control measures at clinics resulted in bringing significant (OR=2.22, P=0.04) psychological upsets, for those who were infected with COVID-19. Participants (45.1%) also reported that they have difficulty in recalling old memories or information due to the COVID-19 pandemic; among them, 46.7% were the ones who (and/or any family member) were exposed to COVID-19.Conclusion: The study spotlighted the extent of dental students’ MWB and its significant effect on their CPS once (themselves or a family member) infected with COVID-19. Moreover, levels of infection control measures at clinics resulted in psychological upsets for dental students.Clinical Significance: The issue is fundamental as participants enter the clinical workforce and face the ever-increasing demands of dental practice.Keywords: dental students, clinical psychomotor skills, mental well-being, pandemic, COVID-19

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