Dental School Research Articles

Beyond labs: unveiling dynamics of dental students' transition from pre-clinical to clinical training in a Saudi dental school.

To assess the factors affecting the transition of dental students from pre-clinical to clinical courses in an outcome-based curriculum. This cross-sectional study surveyed dental students in the third and fourth academic years of the Bachelor of Dental and Oral Surgery (BDS) program at the College of Dentistry, Jouf University. Ethically approved and powered by the G Power software, the study employed a modified questionnaire validated through a pilot test to assess five domains. Likert scale responses were analyzed using SPSS v.25, revealing insights into clinical workload, patient interaction, and learning experiences. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the impact of clinical skill application, workload, transition to clinics, and patient interaction on learning experience as well as CGPA. The Mann-Whitney U test compared the ranks of two independent samples, making it less sensitive to outliers and more suitable for data with non-normal distributions. In this study, the response rate of the participants was 70%. A total of 44 dental students in their third and fourth years of the program completed the survey. The multiple regression analysis showed that the predictors collectively explained 36.1% of the variance in the learning experience (Adjusted R2 = 0.361). "Transition to Clinics" had a significant positive effect on learning experience (β = 0.292, p = 0.012), "Workload" (β = -0.203, p = 0.393) and "Patient Interaction" (β = 0.443, p = 0.168) were not significant predictors. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed no significant gender differences in transition to clinics, workload, patient interaction, application of clinical skills, and learning experience (U = 33.09 to -40.33, p > 0.05), but a significant difference in transition to clinics between third- and fourth-year students (U = 31.56 to -43.24, p < 0.05). The results of this study demonstrate that the transition to clinical training can be intricate, and that multiple elements have an impact on this process. It is crucial to have support systems that facilitate the transition into the clinical learning environment.

Insights into research activities of senior dental students in the Middle East: A multicenter preliminary study

BackgroundDespite the increasing recognition of the importance of research in undergraduate dental education, limited studies have explored the nature of undergraduate research activities in dental schools in the Middle East region. This study aimed to evaluate the research experience of final year dental students from three dental schools in the Middle East.MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year dental students from three institutions, namely Jordan University of Science and Technology, University of Sharjah (UAE), and Oman Dental College. Participants were asked about the nature and scope of their research projects, the processes involved in the research, and their perceived benefits of engaging in research.Results A total of 369 respondents completed the questionnaire. Cross-sectional studies represented the most common research type (50.4%), with public health (29.3%) and dental education (27.9%) being the predominant domains. More than half of research proposals were developed via discussions with instructors (55.0%), and literature reviews primarily utilized PubMed (70.2%) and Google Scholar (68.5%). Regarding statistical analysis, it was usually carried out with instructor’s assistance (45.2%) or using specialized software (45.5%). The students typically concluded their projects with a manuscript (58.4%), finding the discussion section most challenging to write (42.0%). The research activity was considered highly beneficial, especially in terms of teamwork and communication skills, as well as data interpretation skills, with 74.1% of students reporting a positive impact on their research perspectives.ConclusionsThe research experience was generally positive among surveyed dental students. However, there is a need for more diversity in research domains, especially in qualitative studies, greater focus on guiding students in research activities s, especially in manuscript writing and publication. The outcomes of this study could provide valuable insights for dental schools seeking to improve their undergraduate research activities.

Desirable clinical settings in general dentistry: moving towards the improvement of the educational program

BackgroundThe main task of dental schools is to prepare professional dentists with a high social responsibility. This study provided some practical suggestions from experts regarding desirable clinical settings, in order to establish an infrastructure for practical studies in Endodontics, Periodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Restorative Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Prosthodontics, Oral Health, and Social Dentistry.MethodsThis research was conducted using a modified Delphi technique in two rounds. The first round involved qualitative content analysis. Participants in interviews were selected purposeful and maximum diversity across the country. To determine the validity and reliability of the data, the four axes proposed by Lichon and Guba were utilized. The second round involved a researcher-made questionnaire, which consisted of 55 questions. This questionnaire was distributed to all dental schools across the country. The validity of the questionnaire were evaluated and by experts and then reviewed. The reliability of the tool was determined to be 0.96 using the alpha coefficient method.ResultsThe final codes from the interviews of the first round were divided into two categories: settings and educational programs. The final results of research were placed into 2 section: educational settings and instructors, and educational infrastructures. 70% participants agreed to use the college’s clinical morning sessions. More than 80% agreed to start up a main clinic with the proposed structure and professors. The use of the hospitalization area also had an agreement of more than 80%. Additionally, community areas such as health service centers, welfare centers, special patient centers, factories, schools, etc. obtained an agreement of over 70%.ConclusionsThe results of this study are presented in the form of suggestions for improving the general dentistry program in relation to educational setting, educators, and educational infrastructures. The common agreement among participants regarding educational settings and their diversity, educational programs, and desired instructors reviewed in the research shows the necessity of reviewing and changing their educational programs in Endodontics, Periodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Restorative Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Prosthodontics, Oral Health, and Social Dentistry.

Geographic Trends in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Match

Matching into Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) residency in the United States (US) is competitive. Various surgical and medical specialties found that a relationship exists between the geographic location where an applicant attends medical school and the location where they attend residency. However, information regarding this geographic relationship does not exist in OMS. The purpose of this study was to investigate if a relationship exists between the location of an applicant's dental school and the location of the OMS program where they match for residency. Study team conducted a cross-sectional review of all civilian OMS applicants who participated in the Postdoctoral OMS Matching Program from 2012 to 2022. US States and the District of Columbia were subdivided into a specific Region and Division as defined by the US Census Bureau. The primary predictor variable was the geographic location of the applicant's dental school. The outcome variable was the geographic location where the applicant matched for residency. There were no covariates analyzed in the study. Frequency tables were created for the expected and observed values for each possible combination of dental school and residency location. MATLAB R2023a software was used for statistical analysis. χ2 test, odds ratio and confidence interval were calculated to investigate association between variables. P values were <.05. 1768 applicants were reviewed. The inclusion criteria consisted of civilian OMS applicants from 2012 to 2022 who matched into residency. Of the 968 applicants who met the inclusion criteria, 48.45% (469/968, P -value < .001) matched into a residency in the same US Region as their dental school; 36.26% (351/968, P value < .001) matched into the same US Division. Applicants were found to be significantly more likely to match into a program in the same US Region and Division as their dental school. It is likely that individuals will match into OMS residency in the same US Region and Division as their dental school. This information helps applicants and residency programs during the match process.

Trends in dental school faculty: An analysis of the results of the 2021‒2022 ADEA Dental School Faculty Demographic Census and 2018‒2019 ADEA Survey of Dental School Faculty.

Each year, American Dental Education Association (ADEA) collects data on U.S. dental school faculty demographics, compensation, and vacant and lost positions. One of the purposes of the reports associated with this project is to provide information to U.S. dental schools on national trends on dental school faculty. This report examines the landscape of faculty workforce at U.S.-accredited dental schools in 2021‒2022 and changes relative to the 2018‒2019 academic year. The information contained within this report includes faculty position information, new and separated faculty, open or vacant faculty positions, lost faculty positions, and faculty demographics. The report analyzes data from the 2018‒2019 ADEA Survey of Dental School Faculty (representing an estimated 91% of the full-time and part-time faculty) and 2021‒2022 ADEA Dental School Faculty Salary and Demographic Census (an estimated 84% of the faculty). The analysis revealed that more than half of dental school faculty was in the south and northeast in 2021‒2022. Among responding schools, 85% of the faculty concentrated on teaching, research, and training in 2021‒2022, a proportion similar with 2018‒2019. One in five faculty was tenured or on tenure track, similar with 2018‒2019. More than three-quarters of full-time and part-time faculty were clinical faculty in 2021‒2022. There was a 62% increase in open faculty positions between 2018‒2019 and 2021‒2022. Women accounted for four in 10 faculty members in 2021‒2022-more than 3 years before. The median age of dental school faculty declined from 56 to 54 years old between 2019 and 2022. This study found that dental school faculty was increasingly younger, with more women members and more open positions in 2021‒2022 than in 2018‒2019.

Prevalence and Clinico-pathologic Profile of Biopsied Gingival Lesions from 2 Thai Dental Schools.

Gingiva can be afflicted by several pathological entities apart from gingivitis and periodontitis. There have been limited number of studies on gingival lesions, especially from Thailand. Aim: To analyze the prevalence and distribution of biopsied gingival lesions from Chulalongkorn and Rangsit Dental Schools, Thailand. Biopsy records of the participating institutions from 1995 to 2020 were reviewed for gingival lesions. The demographic data, site of lesions and diagnoses were collected. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. From a total of 16,207 biopsies, 1,589 cases (10.2%) were diagnosed in the category of gingival lesions. The mean age ± SD of the patients was 42.3 ± 18.6 years with the highest prevalence being in the fourth decade of life (17.4%). A male-to-female ratio was 0.48:1. The most common location was the posterior mandible (27.4%). Regarding the type of gingival lesions, non-neoplastic lesions (88.5%) outnumbered neoplastic lesions (11.5%). The most common lesion was pyogenic granuloma, followed by irritation fibroma and peripheral ossifying fibroma. Among the neoplastic lesions, squamous cell carcinoma was the most prevalent lesion followed by papilloma and lymphoma. Gingival lesions mostly occur in the fourth decade of life and have a predilection for female patients. The majority of the lesions are located in the posterior mandible. Non-neoplastic lesion, especially the reactive subtype, is the most prevalent group and pyogenic granuloma is the most common gingival lesion. Data from this study represent biopsied gingival lesions from Thailand which may be different from those of other countries. Key words:Gingival lesions, prevalence, demographic, clinico-pathological correlation, gingival biopsy.

Quality improvement project (QIP): evaluating a pilot suicide awareness, screening and signposting training intervention for dental care professionals in a dental teaching hospital and school

Scotland’s 2022 suicide prevention strategy recommends building skills and knowledge among healthcare staff who play a role in preventing suicide. A quality improvement project (QIP) in relation to this was...

Comparing the efficacy of clinical demonstration versus video films in teaching of internal tooth bleaching for dentistry students of Sari dental school and their attitude about them

Comparing the efficacy of clinical demonstration versus video films in teaching of internal tooth bleaching for dentistry students of Sari dental school and their attitude about them

Fonseca's Questionnaire Is a Useful Tool for Carrying Out the Initial Evaluation of Temporomandibular Disorders in Dental Students.

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) represent a prevalent multifactorial condition that impacts a significant portion of the global population. The objective of this study was to employ Fonseca's questionnaire for an initial assessment of TMDs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 250 undergraduates from the Dental School of the University of Perugia, Italy. The chi-square test, with a significance level set at p < 0.05, was used to evaluate a statistically significant relationship between TMDs and several variables such as gender, age, employed/unemployed, and physically active or not. Results: The data obtained through the questionnaire indicated that a considerable percentage of students (78%) exhibited signs consistent with TMDs. The most frequently reported signs and symptoms included psychological stress (49.6%), dental clenching and grinding (34%), joint clicking (33.6%), frequent headaches (15.2%), and neck pain (23.2%). Notably, when considering moderate to severe symptoms of TMDs, females were more significantly affected than males. Furthermore, factors such as age, employment status, and physical activity did not appear to influence the prevalence of TMDs. Conclusions: The high prevalence of TMDs identified within this young population (university students), as measured by this questionnaire (albeit warranting validation through more rigorous methodologies) underscores the necessity for the implementation of new preventive strategies that specifically address this demographic.

Addition of an audience response system in a biomedical science course improves learning environment and student performance.

The effectiveness of incorporating an audience response system (ARS) in improving the learning environment and student performance was assessed in a didactic biomedical science course at a large US dental school. Instructors and students were surveyed for their experiences of using Top Hat-based ARS in a multi-disciplinary biomedical science course. Average exam scores and grade distribution for challenging sections on immunology and developmental biology were compared before and after incorporating ARS. Pearson's chi-squared test, likelihood ratio test, Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test using beta regression model were used to assess statistical significance (p < 0.05). Student survey results with 78% (82/105) response rate, indicated that incorporating ARS improved student engagement, reinforced lecture material, and prepared them better for exams (p < 0.0001). Sixty seven percent of student respondents recommended continued integration of ARS questions in lectures (p < 0.0001). Although faculty survey data (n = 5, 100% response rate) were not statistically significant, the majority of faculty agreed that real-time feedback through ARS allowed them to appropriately pace lecture delivery and restructure forthcoming material. The average exam scores and grade distribution for challenging sections showed modest improvement after incorporation of ARS (p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between final course grades and ARS grades for participation or correctness. Incorporating the ARS in a multi-disciplinary biomedical science course is perceived by faculty and students as an effective instructional approach that improves the learning environment, teaching strategies, and student performance.

Impact of dental school critical thinking demonstrations carryover to practice: Survey of 5-year graduates.

Little literature exists on graduates' application to practice for explicit critical thinking skills learned in dental school. Discern the (1) degree to which graduates apply explicit critical thinking skillsets in practice; (2) degree of adaptation of critical thinking skillsets to practice; (3) frequency of use for critical thinking skillsets in practice; and (4) perceptions to improve critical thinking learning guidance in dental school. Five critical thinking exercises/skillsets were selected that had been in place over 5 years with at least one paper: geriatrics, treatment planning, technology decision making, ethics, evidence-based dentistry; each followed concepts from an emulation model in critical thinking. Electronic survey administered in 2023/2024 to alumni graduated in the last 5 years. Of 98 (from 320 distributed) returned, 56 completed the entire survey. Dental school experiences positively influenced use of critical thinking skills in practice. On a five-point scale, mostly 4s and 5s were reported for "…benefit your thinking." Fifty-three percent reported "using ideas from the exercise and developed my own thought processes," 35% reported "using the thought process largely as offered in the college" and 5% reported "do not use the exercise." Sixty percent reported using the skillsets hourly or daily. With minor variations all skillsets were reported positively for use in practice. A positive influence of critical thinking skills was gained from the college experience with explicit positive impact for each of the five critical thinking experiences. The questions may be a model for future follow-up studies of explicit dental school critical thinking exercises.

Root canal configuration of human permanent anterior teeth: A cross-sectional study using cone-beam computed tomography in the Pakistani population.

To analyse and document internal root morphological variations in permanent anterior teeth using conebeam computed tomography. The cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted from January 21 to June 19, 2021, at Jinnah Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Body Scan, and comprised data from July to December 2020 related to all the patients who had been referred to the centre for dental cone-beam computed tomography scan. The scans were evaluated at the Radiology Department of the School of Dentistry at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, Pakistan. The morphology of the roots and root canals in all permanent anterior teeth was examined. Root canal configuration was categorised using Vertucci's classification. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. Of the 211 patients, 116(55%) were females and 95(45%) were males. The overall mean age was 39.9±1.02 years (range: 15-65 years). All the permanent anterior teeth exhibited a single root, with the exception 2(0.9%) mandibular right and 4(1.9%) left canines which had double roots. Type I root canals were observed in all 211 (100%) maxillary right central incisors, maxillary left central incisors and maxillary left canines. Among maxillary right canines, 208(98.6%) had type-I root canals, and the corresponding value for maxillary right lateral incisors was 209(99.1%), and for maxillary left lateral incisors, the value was 210(99.5%). Root canal polymorphism had no significant association with gender (p>0.05). The presence of type-I root canal was common in permanent anterior teeth, and there was significant association of root canal polymorphism with gender.

COVID-19 Safety: Perspectives from Dental Students.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic created challenges for healthcare providers, especially dental professionals in practices and universities. This study investigated dental students' concerns about COVID-19 and whether institutional communication influenced pandemic-related stressors. An online survey designed to elicit dental students' concerns about COVID-19 was distributed to all dental students enrolled at a private non-profit academic institution in the Western United States from 26 April 2021 to 25 August 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the respondents, and Chi-square test and z-test analyses were used to compare students' experiences. A total of 92 dental students answered the survey. The respondents' ages ranged from 22 to 47 years. Slightly more than half (50.5%) were male and 93.3% were non-Hispanic or non-Latino. Over one-fourth of the students (27.5%) reported that they either often or always felt anxious that they might become infected with the COVID-19 virus, with 16.3% of the students expressing concern about contracting COVID-19 while on campus. There were no statistically significant differences in anxiety levels about contracting COVID-19 from clinic patients or while on campus between the group of students who perceived the institution communicated effectively and those who did not. However, students who felt that the dental school clearly communicated COVID-19 protocols were more likely to believe that students took protocols seriously and expressed less concern about contracting COVID-19 by touching dental school items. About one-quarter of dental students expressed high levels of anxiety about being infected with COVID-19. Clear communication about COVID-19 protocols reduced students' fear of contracting COVID-19 from dental school items and strengthened their belief that other students followed protocols.

Eight-year evaluation of dental public health students’ research using balanced scorecard – Retrospective study

Introduction:Measuring the performance of dental schools in the research area has always been challenging. Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a performance measurement tool with four perspectives that balance financial and non-financial performance indicators. Some medical colleges use BSC for performance measurement of all departments’ activities while others use it in some sections or departments. This study is the first in the dental education field to use the BSC approach to assess the performance measurement of dental students’ research projects. Methods:A self-developed BSC was designed by the staff members at the dental public health department to reflect the educational strategies and objectives of the department; all data on dental public health students’ research from 2013/2014 to 2020/2021 were collected from the dental public health department, Dental Clinics Complex (DCC) files as well as databases of the Quality Assurance Unit to cover the basic four balanced perspectives. Results:Data from the four perspectives were introduced to Balanced Scorecard Pro Software Version 4.7.1.20. The resulting balanced scorecard indicated that the overall performance of students’ research activities was 89.38%. The learning and growth perspective showed the highest performance (95.33%) followed by the financial perspective (92.5%) then the internal process perspective (89.55%) while the customer perspective showed the lowest performance (82.19%). Conclusions:BSC is an efficient tool for the measurement of the performance of the departments at medical colleges. Our process is highly adaptable and can be easily implemented by any section, or institution looking to advance its educational mission and vision.

Fusion of Supernumerary Teeth to the Mandibular Permanent Central Incisors: a case report

Aim: The fusion of supernumerary teeth with mandibular incisors is a rare occurrence. This case study presents the clinical presentation and management of an 8-year-old child with mandibular permanent central incisors affected by fusion with supernumerary teeth, leading to delayed eruption. Case Report: An 8-year-old girl with no history of medical issues was referred to the Orthodontics Department of Yazd Dental School, Iran. Clinical and radiographic examinations showed that two supernumerary teeth were fused to the buccal aspects of the mandibular permanent central incisors, with the incisal portions erupting into the buccal gingiva. Conclusion: The existence of one or more supernumerary teeth usually leads to occlusal and functional problems and interference with tooth eruption. In these cases, thorough clinical and radiographic examinations with precise history taking should be performed to plan a suitable surgical-orthodontic treatment.

Assessment of endocarditis prophylaxis knowledge and attitudes among healthcare practitioners in Tehran and Hamadan

BackgroundHaving knowledge of the dental procedures that necessitate endocarditis prophylaxis is of high importance. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the knowledge level and attitudes of general medical and dental practitioners, dental specialists, and cardiologists in Tehran and Hamadan about endocarditis.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out on 420 general medical and dental practitioners, dental specialists, and cardiologists in Tehran and Hamadan provinces in 2015. The questionnaire used in this research consisted of three parts as follows: part one: information on cardiac diseases; part two: dental procedures requiring endocarditis prophylaxis; part three: antibiotic diet in endocarditis prophylaxis. Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square tests were conducted to analyze the data. All the analyses were performed in SPSS version 16.ResultsThe results showed that 86.7 had a relatively favorable and 10.5% of subjects had a favorable level of knowledge about endocarditis. Also, 58.6% of subjects had a poor attitude toward endocarditis prophylaxis. There was a significant relationship between knowledge and attitude, age, gender, and work experience (P < 0.001). There was a significant relationship between knowledge and attitude, and job groups; dental specialists had a more favorable knowledge and positive attitude than others (P < 0.001).ConclusionWe recommended developing more practical training programs in dental schools on cardiac diseases, and dental procedures requiring endocarditis prophylaxis and antibiotic diets.

Gender-based differences in the representation and experiences of academic leaders in medicine and dentistry: a mixed method study from Pakistan

BackgroundResearch evidence suggests gender-based differences in the extent and experiences of academic leaders across the globe even in developed countries like USA, UK, and Canada. The under-representation is particularly common in higher education organizations, including medical and dental schools. The current study aimed to investigate gender-based distribution and explore leaders’ experiences in the medical and dental institutes in a developing country, Pakistan.MethodsA mixed-method approach was used. Gender-based distribution data of academic leaders in 28 colleges including 18 medical and 10 dental colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan were collected. Qualitative data regarding the experiences of academic leaders (n = 10) was collected through semi-structured interviews followed by transcription and thematic analysis using standard procedures.ResultsGender-based disparities exist across all institutes with the greatest differences among the top-rank leadership level (principals/deans) where 84.5% of the positions were occupied by males. The gender gap was relatively narrow at mid-level leadership positions reaching up to as high as > 40% of female leaders in medical/dental education. The qualitative analysis found gender-based differences in the experiences under four themes: leadership attributes, leadership journey, challenges, and support.ConclusionsThe study showed that women are not only significantly under-represented in leadership positions in medical and dental colleges in Pakistan, they also face gender-based discrimination and struggling to maintain a decent work life balance. These findings are critical and can have important implications for government, organizations, human resource managers, and policymakers in terms of enacting laws, proposing regulations, and establishing support mechanisms to improve gender-based balance and help current and aspiring leaders in their leadership journey.

Street dentistry: A commentary on Canada's new dental coverage and expansion opportunities for dental schools, health agencies, and not-for-profit.

Street dentistry: A commentary on Canada's new dental coverage and expansion opportunities for dental schools, health agencies, and not-for-profit.

Determining the Failure Rate of Direct Restorations-Chart Review versus Electronic Health Record Reports.

Amalgam and composite restorations are used to treat minor dental issues. University of Michigan, School of Dentistry Electronic Health Record (EHR) reports show a 2.31% failure rate for amalgam and 1.14% for composite. Our study aims to determine the true failure rates through manual EHR chart reviews. Patient data from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry were utilized-216 amalgam restorations from 2020 to 2022 and 350 composite restorations in 2021 were searched. We defined failure and retreatment as replacing a restoration with the same material and failure and alternate treatment as replacing restoration with an alternative treatment within one year. The failure rate refers to a combination of replacement with the same and alternative treatment material within one year. For Amalgam: 1.85% failed and were retreated; 7.87% failed and were received an alternate treatment. Composite: 9.71% failed and retreated; 2.86% failed and received alternate treatment. In total anterior composite: 10.5% retreated, 2.6% failed; posterior composite: 9.1% retreated, 3.0% failed. Our study revealed higher restoration failure rates than the reports extracted in the EHR. This highlights the need to foster a culture of precise documentation to align EHR reports with hand-search findings.

Pediatric dental clinic transformations post-COVID-19 reopening in a public dental school.

To assess the impact of transformations in pediatric dental clinics following reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric dentistry procedures performed by dental students. Data were collected from electronic clinical records of Integrated Dental Clinical disciplines (I, II, III, and IV) from 2018 to 2023. The procedures were categorized into phases: prevention/stabilization, restorative/definitive, and maintenance. The data were analyzed descriptively and by t-test considering the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods (α=5%). During the pandemic, Integrated Dental Clinics I and III saw increased prevention/stabilization procedures percentages (92.4% and 74.3%) compared to pre-pandemic (84.9% and 70%), while Integrated Dental Clinic II and IV saw a decline (76.6% and 66.1%) compared to pre-pandemic (79.1% and 67.9%). Restorative/definitive procedures decreased in Integrated Dental Clinic I and III (5.5% and 20.3%) from pre-pandemic period (10% and 24.1%) but increased in Integrated Dental Clinic II and IV (18.3% and 26.2%) from pre-pandemic (15.3% and 25%). Maintenance procedures decreased in Integrated Dental Clinic I, II, and III (2.1%, 5%, and 5.4%) compared to pre-pandemic (5.1%, 5.6%, and 6%), except for Integrated Dental Clinic IV, which saw an increase (7.8% from 7.2%). Despite the percentage changes, no significant differences were found between the periods analyzed (p>0.05). However, when considering the total procedures across all disciplines and phases, there was a significant decrease during the pandemic in phases 1 and 3 (p<0.05). Despite the changes in pediatric dentistry procedures, the transformations within the dental clinic suggest tangible benefits for the teaching-learning process and safe patient care.