Curriculum-Based Competency in Dentistry Before, During, and After COVID-19

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 3 , 447 - 456 , 29.12.2025

Sinem Özdemir , Nimet Ünlü

https://doi.org/10.15311/selcukdentj.1769592

https://izlik.org/JA22HN85HB

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused fundamental changes in dental education, with practical clinical training being significantly disrupted. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the clinical skill competencies of dental students from pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods according to Türkiye's National Core Dental Education Program (DUÇEP) standards.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 246 individuals (144 women, 102 men) divided into four groups based on graduation time were evaluated: pre-pandemic (graduates of 2019 and earlier, n=48), pandemic (2020-2022 graduates, n=43), Y5-23 (2023 fifth-year students, n=62), and Y5-24 (2024 fifth-year students, n=93). A 32-question survey was administered using a DUÇEP-approved four-level performance scale. Jonckheere-Terpstra test and Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons were used for inter-group comparisons.
Results: The pandemic group demonstrated lower competency than other groups in various clinical procedures. Significant differences were found particularly in sialometry, emergency triage, endodontic procedures (rotary canal shaping, retreatment, rubber dam application), pediatric dentistry (vital pulpotomy, stainless steel crown), and dental trauma management (p<0.05). The Y5-23 and Y5-24 groups performed at or above DUÇEP standards in most applications. Effect sizes were predominantly small-scale, with only medium-level effect observed in rubber dam usage.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted dental students' clinical skill development; however, post-pandemic curriculum adaptations largely addressed these deficiencies. The improvements in Y5-23 and Y5-24 groups support the effectiveness of proactive educational revisions such as DUÇEP-2024 updates. Nevertheless, targeted curriculum developments are needed in emergency triage, prosthetic stomatitis, and rubber dam usage.

Keywords

surveys and questionnaires , COVID-19 , dental education , clinical competency , DUÇEP , clinical skills assessment , pandemic impact , curriculum adaptation

Ethical Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Scientific Research Ethics Committee of Selcuk University, Faculty of Dentistry (protocol code 06 and 2023).

Supporting Institution

This research received no external funding.

Thanks

In this study, we would like to thank Dr. Nurhan Özoğlu for her support and assistance in delivering the survey questions to the participants.

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