TEACHING PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY IN THE CONDITIONS OF MARTIAL LAW AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL THREATS

Abstract

Purpose of the study. Summarizing experience of teaching prosthetic dentistry in the conditions of martial law and epidemiological threats at the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry of the Dnipro State Medical University. Main part. By means of platforms Google Meet and Moodle, the educational process at the department is completely digitized. The organization of communications between the teacher and the students takes place using the Viber messenger. In the distance education system, the main function of the lecture has changed from informative to instructive, systematizing and generalizing. Practical classes in real time (online) are conducted in synchronous mode, using an interactive form of work with “clinical cases” that simulate virtual patients, or by “broadcasting from two cameras”, when they show the external image of the patient's examination and the image from the intraoral camera. The online demonstration of the interfaces of the Planmeca Romexis Viewer, OccluSence by Bausch, My Crown Design and other programs is used to visualize the diagnostic and technological process. The Moodle platform is one of the best options for methodological support of independent work of students. It forms statistics and monitors attendance; it allows conducting control tests of students in online mode. Google Form and Kahoot platforms are also used for current testing. However, studying only in a distance format cannot satisfy the end result of mastering clinical manipulations, practical skills and special competencies. Therefore, it’s necessary to provide a mixed form of education, practicing trainings in phantom classes and students’ participation in clinical procedures. The university has agreements with dental clinics in Tunisia, Morocco, Israel and Germany which are regarding the practical training of foreign students who study remotely. Conclusions. The further strategy for the development of Ukrainian dental education during martial law and epidemiological threats consists in the further development of a mixed form of training for students of the second level of education, which involves both distance learning and learning practical skills in phantom classes and in clinical conditions.