Effect of COVID-19 on Training and Mental Health of Oral Medicine Residents in North America.

Objective:  The objective of this study was to assess resident and faculty perception of the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the training experience, education, and psychological well-being of oral medicine (OM) residents.

Study design:  An anonymous 16-item online questionnaire was e-mailed to faculty and residents of all Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited OM residency programs in North America. Survey questions asked about the pandemic's effect on resident educational, clinical, and research activities and the well-being of the residents. Survey data were collected using Qualtrics XM.

Results:  Forty participants (52.5% residents and 47.5% faculty members) responded to the survey. Regarding the effect on clinical activities, 67.5% reported 50% or less reduction in patient volume seen by residents at its worst during the pandemic. With respect to educational activities, most reported a complete switch of didactic training (85.3%), academic examinations (60%), and off-site resident rotations (45%) to a virtual platform. Research activities were affected the most; 55% reported complete cessation for some time. Thirty-three percent perceived a negative effect, 18% perceived no effect, 11% perceived a positive effect, and 38% were unsure regarding the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 on resident morale. Despite the interruptions in the clinical, research, and educational activities, 62.5% expected on-time resident graduation.

Conclusion:  Despite constraints due to the pandemic, OM residency programs successfully continued clinical activities, didactic training, and research productivity through virtual means and a hybrid delivery care model while supporting their residents' morale.