EDUCATION. The move to distance education and adapted examines has made great progress. In collaboration with the medical care and dental care services, the faculty is also working to ensure that clinical placements can continue if possible. If needed, all programs will give priority to students who are in their final semester before graduation. Akademiliv has met Simon Persson, who will soon have completed his dental training.
Silvana Naredi, vice dean of education at Sahlgrenska Academy, points out that everyone at the faculty is working to ensure that teaching and exams will work. Sahlgrenska Academy is collaborating with the medical and dental care services to also ensure that clinical placements will be able to continue as far as possible.
“If we get to the point where we have to priorities, the faculty’s overriding principal is that all the programs are to focus on allowing students in their final semester to achieve their academic objectives and be able to graduate,” says Silvana Naredi.
On Thursday March 26, the transition to distance education is to be completed, as ordered by vice-chancellor.
Activity at Odontologen’s teaching clinics
Simon Persson is sitting in a booth at the teaching clinic for pediatric dentistry and waiting on the next patient He has started his tenth and final semester on the dental program and expects to graduate in May.
“My classmates and I have been uncertain about how it would work out with our graduation and if it would be impacted by the outbreak of the new coronavirus. But this morning we found out that it is a priority for the program that we achieve our goals, which is comforting,” says Simon Persson.
Older patients staying home
During the final semester of the dental program, clinical training at Odontologen’s teaching clinics for adult and pediatric dentistry is alternated with clinical placement at dental clinics in the region. To achieve their educational objectives, the students need to meet special treatment quotas, and the students book the necessary work well in advance in their own schedules. But many of the patients that normally come to the teaching clinic for adult dentistry are over 70 and are now prohibited from coming to their appointments because the risk of infection.
“I have two steps left at the adult clinic that I’m not sure if I can complete. I need to cement a post and complete a bridge, which are part of a prosthetic treatment often provided to elderly patients,” explains Simon, and adds that he thinks things will be resolved with support from supervisors and course coordinators.
“Our message is that we will make an overall assessment of the entire semester and take into account what happens in the final weeks. We will prioritize semester 10 on the dental program and semester 6 of the dental hygienist and dental technician program,” says Agneta Robertson, deputy head of the Institute of Odontology.
Students onsite
Odontologen’s three teaching clinics are some of the few places at Medicinareberget where students continue to be taught onsite at Campus Medicinareberget. Both dental students and dental hygienists are trained to provide dental care to patients under supervision of teachers employed within the Public Dental Service (Folktandvården), in facilities belonging to Region Västra Götaland.
“We are following the directives that apply to clinical placements and clinical teaching, which can continue as long as the host organization permits it. Students with symptoms are naturally not to be present here, just as sick patients should not come,” says Agneta Robertson.
Considering the circumstances, the students have been told to review their knowledge of protective equipment used in their work: bibs, masks, visors and gloves.
TEXT: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
