(PO-130) Impact of COVID-19 on Dental School Club Activities

Author: Ellen Lee, D.D.S. – Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU College of Dentistry
Author: Aspen Wang, BA – Dental Student, NYU College of Dentistry
Author: Lu Lu Feng, BA, MBS – Dental Student, NYU College of Dentistry
Author: Huan-yu Chen, B.S, MS – Dental Student, NYU College of Dentistry
Author: WonSun Choi, B.S – Dental Student, NYU College of Dentistry
Author: Kevin Kim, BA – Dental Student, NYU College of Dentistry
Author: Brian Chin – MBA Student, New York University Stern Business School
Submitter: Ellen Lee, D.D.S. – Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU College of Dentistry

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact on dental school club involvement and activities. Covid 19 prevented students from gathering socially in person. Students had to brainstorm activities to be done online in order to engage the interest to the different clubs. Our aim is to determine the student’s perception of online club activities vs. in person club activities.

Method: An eleven question survey was sent thru Qualtrix to the first, second, third and fourth year dental students. This voluntary, anonymous survey asks if they felt that online club activities were easier to attend, more interactive, less exciting than in person club activities. Students were asked to choose which club activity they attended from a choice of either educational lecture, exercise, fitness, outreach activity or recreational. They were asked if they attend less online club events and if they felt disconnected when attending online. Students had the opportunity to make suggestions as to how to improve their experience in online club events and to write the type of activities they want to see in the future.

Result: Overall the majority of the students 71% felt that online club activities were easier to attend, 91% felt they were less interactive and 85% felt they were less exciting. 77% attended online educational lectures, 4% attended online exercise/fitness classes,12% attended online outreach activity, and 6% attended recreational activity online. 66% attended less online club events, 67% were less driven to attend online than club events, and 83% felt disconnected from club members. Students wanted to see more educational lectures (50%), fitness (1%), cooking (17%), gaming (14%).

Conclusion: Students felt that online club activities were less exciting and less interactive. A majority of the students attended online educational lectures but felt less driven to attend online activities.