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COVID-19 crisis: the perspective of a Dental Foundation Trainee
We would like to share our reflections on the current, unprecedented COVID-19 crisis from the perspective of a Dental Foundation Trainee (DFT).
The crisis we find ourselves in is one we would never have predicted and has, without doubt, taken dental professionals by surprise, in particular for those in their DFT year.
As it stands already, the leap from dental school to the real world of dentistry is daunting to say the least. The foundation year offers a bridge in the form of a structured learning programme and mentorship to help clinicians prepare for their career ahead. The unplanned disruption to this year has created worry and uncertainty for DFTs, with the clinical training impacted. Many DFTs are moving to potentially more demanding associate jobs or Dental Core Training (DCT) posts in just three months.
Another concern of many DFTs has been the prospect of redeployment to help ease the workload for the National Health Service (NHS). It is admirable to see the keenness of so many of our colleagues, willing and ready to volunteer, where needed, to help in this global pandemic. Despite the difficulties, we do find ourselves intrigued and impressed by how our profession and fellow colleagues, whom are responsible for our training, have been able to adapt over the past few months.
Our use of technology has been interesting to observe. Despite disruption caused by the crisis, our pre-planned weekly study day seminars and hands on workshops have still continued. Lecturers and clinicians have adapted their resources and skilfully utilized online platforms to ensure that we can still learn and benefit whilst respecting social distancing guidelines. We have received a combination of live online webinars, webchat meetings and video conferencing, pre-recorded lecture presentations, as well as distant learning packages which consist of an array of relevant resources, videos and presentations relating to our study topic.
We feel credit must be given in particular to those who have thought outside of the box to ensure that their teaching is still delivered in an engaging way. Our ‘posterior restorations’ study day was supplemented with a tooth morphology sketching exercise, where we had to sketch occlusal views of posterior teeth and submit our entries online, to compare with fellow trainees across the Midlands (Figure 1). Another useful idea that has been suggested to supplement our minor oral surgery module, is to post a disposable suture kit to DFTs so that we may practice our suturing skills remotely.
In addition to this, there has been a change in the national recruitment process for DCT posts following our DFT year. With the assistance of Pearson Vue, Situational Judgment Test (SJT) examinations shall commence in June. The exam takes a format like never before, given the current situation, being online rather than in the traditional examination centres. To ensure appropriate invigilation is carried out, examinees will be required to turn on their webcam and microphone.
There has been overwhelming support from a number of leading dental education organizations, such as Dentinal Tubules, Dental Juice and Dental Update, who have been very quick to support foundation Dentists by generously providing free access to their online learning material. The deanery has been working hard with many of these organizations to make this possible, which we are very grateful for. It is noteworthy that, with the increasing number of links, resources and webinars being posted online and on social media, it can be easy for one to fall into the trap of information overload! It is probably wise to sift diligently through the resources and plan one's time accordingly. We imagine this to be a common feeling amongst many professionals.
This is an exceptional time, and it has taken us all by surprise. On reflection, observing how this has affected our Foundation Training, we have gathered two pieces of wisdom that we feel are of benefit to us. Firstly, it is vital to try our best to adopt a growth mindset in times such as this, by looking for solutions to the challenges we face. Out of the box, or lateral thinking are key. Secondly, the importance of being able to take a moment to appreciate and express gratitude. We must appreciate, and be grateful for, the committed work effort that many are contributing to help us make the most of this difficult situation. On that note, we'd like to extend our thanks to all those who are continuing to help make the best of an unprecedented situation, both within the DFT sphere and the profession as a whole.