ATTITUDES, PRACTICES, AND IMPACTS OF EDUCATION ON ORAL PATHOLOGY AND MEDICINE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN BRAZIL

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the attitudes, practices, and effects of education in oral pathology and medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. STUDY DESIGN: Dental students and faculty members were invited to participate through an online questionnaire with 31 questions on agreement and frequency regarding the teaching and learning process before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 318 individuals involved in oral pathology and medicine education participated. Before the pandemic, discussion of clinical cases was the main teaching method (73%), and written exam (91%) was the main testing method. During the pandemic, remote synchronous lectures (77%) and individual assignments (69%) were applied. For the learning process, 53% totally disagree and 24% disagree that remote lectures are better than conventional ones. Undergraduate students have more difficulties in online access than lecturers (P < .0001), and students have a greater lack of self-reported interest when compared to lecturers (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant change in the attitudes and practices in teaching oral pathology and medicine. Thus, the effects on the professional training need to be considered as a factor that may reflect on clinical practice. In addition, there is a need for digital inclusion policies.