Dental graduates ready to practice despite pandemic

Dental school graduates of the class of 2021 will be ready to practice dentistry despite the challenges they faced during the pandemic, according to a commentary published on May 1 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Students had to adjust to remote learning and other changes brought on by COVID-19, but schools believe they received the skills they needed. Schools will ensure students exhibit entry-level competence in general dentistry before they are given degrees.

Though schools recognize that evaluating aspects of competence such as knowledge and technical skills is easier than measuring a student's ethics, professionalism, and critical thinking, they remain committed to the task. The students will arrive with grit and resilience that will serve them throughout their careers and make them lifelong learners as well as competent dentists, the commentary authors noted.