A NEW NORMAL

UKCD EMBRACES A New Normal

“The pandemic has affected every one of us in many different ways. There have been many challenges, but the faculty, staff and students have joined together to lead the college back to our “new normal” in record time. I am very proud of these accomplishments and all the great personnel we have at UKCD”

- JEFF OKESON

With the arrival of the COVID-19 health emergency, the College of Dentistry departed typical day-to-day routines to undertake several operational changes in a short span of time. These changes were necessary to better protect patients, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders while working to upload the college’s mission.

In mid-March, college dental clinics closed, except for emergency care provided by select faculty and residents, as defined by the Governor and the Kentucky Board of Dentistry. Faculty and learners shifted from meeting in-person to meeting virtually, changing the format of almost 40 courses in the spring semester and later some 20 courses in the fall 2020 semester, to cover didactic course work, while preclinical and clinical courses were postponed. Alumni events and continuing education events were postponed, while other virtual opportunities were introduced. Faculty and staff worked remotely when possible. With reduced clinical activity, many clinical staff were placed on administrative leave until clinics could reopen. The college leaned heavily on financial reserves until clinics increased activity.

Dental students, unlike other students on UK’s campus, require hands-on clinical experience, making it imperative for the college to work with the university and other authorities to formulate a plan on how to safely allow graduating dental students to return to clinic. In early May, UKCD was able to bring fourth-year students back to campus to complete their clinical work and prepare for regional exams. Then efforts shifted to catching other classes up on their work.

New protocols included daily online screening questions and temperature recordings of faculty, staff, and students. Chairs were adjusted in the DMD Student Clinic to increase distance between patients. Scheduling was adjusted to stagger patient arrivals and decrease exposure to one another. Appropriate PPE, including masks and face shields, are required both on the clinic floor as well as simulation laboratory spaces.

On speaking of efforts to bring students up to speed in August and September while also welcoming a new first-year class, Dean Okeson shared, “D-611 has been schedule almost every morning and afternoon. In addition, there have been four to six scheduled Saturday classes…in some instances the same course had to be taught twice, once to first-year students and also to secondyear students…faculty have offered office hours during the only hour off at noon, as well as after 5 o’clock. This has been an enormous commitment and I so greatly appreciate the dedication and loyalty our faculty and staff have to our students.”

Even with undertaking above efforts, the college was able to make additional advances over the summer and early fall. Renovation efforts were completed on both endodontic and orthodontic care areas on campus. An updated endodontic suite provides new equipment, including a ceiling mounted endodontic microscope at each operatory with display feeds wired to the adjoining conference room for viewing. Efforts will benefit current endodontic scholar participants, DMD students, and future endodontic residents. Updates in the orthodontic space allowed for increased spacing between chairs and the addition of a private operatory space. Additionally, the college was selected by Straumann to evaluate the company’s beta phase Virtuo Vivo Software. As such, the college will receive a new scanning unit and software to review.

Looking further ahead, the college is excited to continue pushing forward with other digital dentistry efforts, including digital dentures, and partnering with UK colleges and units to increase efforts in public health.