The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Among Dental Students, Naresuan University
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Abstract
This qualitative study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduate dental students at Naresuan University, Thailand. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted between August 2021 to April 2022. A total of 48 dental students (Year 1-6 of the academic year 2021) were included in the study. The study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected dental students in five aspects: education, health, economic, social, and others. Firstly, for the educational aspect, changing types of teaching from onsite to online classes allowed students more flexibility and convenience. However, some subjects were difficult to understand from online learning. In addition, the students could be easily distracted by unstable devices and internet connection. The exam was much harder and there were a lot more assignments. Furthermore, a decrease in the number of patients during COVID-19 affected with the students’ clinical practice requirements. Secondly, the spread of the COVID-19 affected the students’ health, both physically and mentally, such as stress, anxiety, and the risk of getting infected by the disease. For the economic aspect, many students' families had lower incomes while there were increasing expenses for both daily use and education. In term of the social aspect, most of the students were challenged by the change in social interactions, connections, and travel restrictions caused by preventive measures. However, this situation created opportunities for students to do other activities to increase their skills and income during their free time.
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บทความ ข้อมูล เนื้อหา รูปภาพ ฯลฯ ที่ได้รับการลงตีพิมพ์ในวิทยาสารทันตแพทยศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยขอนแก่นถือเป็นลิขสิทธิ์เฉพาะของคณะทันตแพทยศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยขอนแก่น หากบุคคลหรือหน่วยงานใดต้องการนำทั้งหมดหรือส่วนหนึ่งส่วนใดไปเผยแพร่ต่อหรือเพื่อกระทำการใด ๆ จะต้องได้รับอนุญาตเป็นลายลักษณ์อักษร จากคณะทันตแพทยศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยขอนแก่นก่อนเท่านั้น
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