Pandemic pressure: the impact of COVID-19 on dental students’ oral health and well-being in Malaysia

Fara Azwin Adam; Erni Noor; Muhammad Aziq Mohd Azman; Muhammad Hazim Mohd Lip

doi:10.31436/ijohs.v6i1.339

Authors

Fara Azwin Adam Center of Periodontology Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh Campus, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia.
Erni Noor Center of Periodontology Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh Campus, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia.
Muhammad Aziq Mohd Azman Center of Undergraduate Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia.
Muhammad Hazim Mohd Lip Center of Undergraduate Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Sungai Buloh, Selangor 47000, Malaysia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31436/ijohs.v6i1.339

Keywords:

COVID-19, dental student, undergraduate, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL), Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted dental education and affected students' oral health and overall well-being. This study explored the impact of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among Malaysian undergraduate dental students during the pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 530 students from nine dental schools in Malaysia using the validated Oral Health Impacts Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. The OHIP-14 measures functional and psychosocial disabilities caused by oral health issues. The average OHIP-14 score was 10.86 ± 8.47, with 21.3% of students reporting impacts on their OHRQoL. The most affected subscales were psychological discomfort (38.2%), psychological disability (26.9%), and physical pain (22.2%). There were no significant differences in daily performance difficulties between preclinical and clinical students. This study highlights the significant impact of the pandemic on Malaysian dental students' OHRQoL, particularly in psychological and physical aspects. Dental educators and policymakers should prioritize strategies to support students' oral health and overall well-being during such challenging times.

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