Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Career Planning of a Group of Dentistry Students

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the career planning and specialization preference of a group of Turkish dentistry students and the factors affecting this. Materials and Methods. 305 volunteer students from X University Faculty of Dentistry participated in the study. A questionnaire consisting of 44 open-ended and multiple-choice questions was sent to the students. In the survey, before and during Covid-19 career plans, specialization preferences and the factors affecting them were questioned. Results. With the Covid-19 pandemic, 23.3% of the students changed their career plan and 24.6% of them changed their field of specialization. In career planning, it was preferred to work in the private sector after the pandemic. While the most preferred specialty was Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery before the pandemic, the department with the highest increase after the pandemic was Endodontics. Conclusions. The Covid-19 pandemic affected the career and specialty preferences of dentistry students, factors such as working conditions, financial return, and employment opportunities, rather than aerosol and increased risk of contamination, were effective in this change.