Impact of Covid-19 on dental hygiene educators: A national survey

Burnout, Personal, and Occupational Factors as Predictors of Physician Assistant Faculty Intent to Leave After the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

This study addressed whether burnout, personal, or occupational factors predicted physician assistant (PA) faculty intent to leave and established a new postpandemic national benchmark for PA faculty burnout and intent to leave.

METHODS

In spring 2023, a nonexperimental, cross-sectional survey was emailed to 2031 PA faculty drawn from program faculty listings and the PA Education Association member database. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample, and a multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the predictive ability of the independent variables on intent to leave.

RESULTS

The response rate was 30% (609 of 2031), with 496 responses (24.4%) included in the analysis. The sample reflected the population of PA faculty. The regression model significantly predicted intent leave ( P < .001). The adjusted R2 was 0.46, indicating the combination of independent variables predicted 46% of the variance in PA faculty intent to leave. Significant predictors included emotional exhaustion and identifying as multiracial ( P < .001), control and values ( P < .01), and depersonalization, fairness, rewards, and clinical year faculty role ( P < .05). The sample had moderate levels of burnout and experienced burnout at higher rates than in prepandemic studies. Physician assistant faculty in administrative leadership roles had the highest levels of burnout and intent to leave. Despite this, PA faculty intent to leave measures were similar to prepandemic levels.

DISCUSSION

Several of the predictive variables were related to well-being and social-emotional aspects of the workplace. These findings have implications for institutional policies and practices that support faculty well-being and workplace culture to enhance retention.

Perceptions of Online Learning Implementation in Dental Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Dental School Faculty Members in Southeast Asia

OBJECTIVE

To assess the perceptions of faculty members from dental schools in Southeast Asian countries regarding the implementation of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A previously implemented questionnaire comprising 43 questions was utilized in this study. Lecturers from four universities in Southeast Asia were invited to participate in the study.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 through several types of comparative and correlation analyses.

RESULTS

There were 183 lecturers who participated in the study. The overall responses suggest that the perceived effectiveness of online learning in dentistry was centered on a neutral value. The participants faced challenges when implementing online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the lack of interaction being the most challenging factor. They agreed that online learning had many advantages, specifically in time flexibility and communication. The participants had stronger perceptions relating the advantages and opportunities of online teaching, and recognized that the effectiveness of offline teaching alone was limited.

CONCLUSION

The perceptions of Southeast Asian dental school faculty members were inclined toward a positive outlook on blended learning for implementation in dentistry, as a means of providing opportunities to use online learning beyond COVID-19 in the future.

A qualitative assessment of dental hygiene educators' COVID-19 related burnout

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to elicit ideas or concerns influencing dental hygiene educators’ experiences of personal and professional burnout, burnout working with students, and teaching efficacy in an online/hybrid environment as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

A qualitative, content‐analysis study included a convenience sample of dental hygiene educators emails. An invitation to participate in an August 2021 or October 2021 focus group was sent via Qualtrics^xm with informed consent, and focus groups were held over Zoom. Conversations were audio recorded, transcribed, and de‐identified. Consensus on a codebook by two coders achieved an 88% agreement.

Results

Fifty‐three were invited to the August 2021 focus groups for a 26% (n = 14) response rate, and 116 were invited to the October 2021 focus groups for an 11% (n = 13) response rate. Contributing factors to experiences of burnout expressed were: (1) work–life balance (n = 59), including (a) overwork, (b) pressure to be available, and (c) lack of boundaries; (2) change (n = 34) involving (a) developing new protocols, (b) constant uncertainty, (c) COVID‐19 requirements, and (d) new platforms; and (3) negative interactions (n = 32) with (a) students and (b) faculty.

Conclusion

A lack of work–life balance from overwork, pressure to be available at all times, no boundaries with students, and an absence of a sense of connection for workplace vitality were contributors to burnout. Work‐from‐home flexibility, a work environment that supported wellness and mental well‐being, and the ability to leave the workplace for periods of time were reported as helpful solutions to combatting burnout.