(PO-016) Dental Students' Perceptions of Virtual vs. In-person Community-based Outreach

Author: Mark Bell – Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Author: Cicely Dahn – Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Author: Kathy Lituri, MPH, RDH – Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Author: Matthew Mara, D.M.D., EdM – Clinical Instructor, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Submitter: Mark Bell – Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine

Objective: Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, from March 2020-August 2021, in-person community-based outreach events (CBOEs) were suspended at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM). The goal of this project was to assess GSDM pre-doctoral students’ perceptions of and willingness to participate in non-required virtual CBOEs.

Methods: A 13-question survey, designed utilizing input from a focus group of dental student leaders, was emailed to 619 pre-doctoral students in May 2021. The survey was open for four weeks. Two reminders were sent at two-weeks and the day before it closed. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel. The project was approved by the Boston Medical Center IRB (H-40446).

Results: Ninety students (15%) responded; 78% (70/90) were female and 90% (81/90) were between 21 and 35 years old. The majority of survey responses (69/90) came from three academic classes: 27 (30%) first-year students and 19 (21%) second-year students from the 4-year DMD Program and 23 (26%) first-year students from the 2-year Advanced Standing DMD Program. Fifty-one percent of students (44/86) participated in at least one in-person (before March 2020) or virtual CBOE (after October 2020). Seventy-nine percent (58/73) planned to participate in a CBOE that was cancelled due to the pandemic. Respondents indicated a willingness to participate in virtual CBOEs during the pandemic, with preference for dental related CBOEs 64% (44/69) compared to non-dental related CBOEs 51% (35/69). By comparison, 87% (60/69) were likely to participate in both in-person dental and non-dental events. The main reason for participating in CBOEs was a general interest in community service (23%) and 18% stated virtual outreach did not appeal to them.

Conclusion: Results suggest that students were interested in participating in virtual CBOEs during the pandemic. Although in-person CBOEs are preferred by students, virtual CBOEs are not a deterrent.