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Open research questions in Dental Research and COVID-19

151 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 3,226 Dental Research and COVID-19 papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Abstract Introduction Digital dentistry (DD) is increasingly integrated into clinical practice, yet limited research explores its implementation within undergraduate dental education in the UK.

    Student and staff experiences of digital dentistry in a Southwest Primary Care Dental School, UK · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite this limited knowledge, attitudes toward implant therapy were generally moderate to favourable, and a large majority of participants indicated that they would accept implant treatment if it were offered free of charge. In addition, implant-related oral health education appears to remain insufficient at the community level.

    Knowledge, Attitudes, and Willingness to Replace Missing Teeth with Dental Implants Rather Than Traditional Prosthetic Options Among Adults in Derna City, Libya: A Cross-Sectional Study · 2026 · DOI

  • Taking (5) My patients value understanding their doctors' emotions, which in itself has a therapeutic effect. (6) I pay attention to my patients' nonverbal cues and body language, trying to understand what is going on in their minds. (7) Empathy is a therapeutic capability that limits my success in the treatment process. (8) Understanding the emotional state of my patients and their families is an important component of my relationship with them. (9) I try to give my patients better healthcare by thinking like them. (10) I think empathy is a crucial therapeutic factor in medical or surgical treatment. (11) My medical or surgical treatment does not affect how my patients and their families feel. (12) It is not crucial to pay attention to the patients' emotions when taking the anamnesis. (13) Attention to my patients’ personal experiences does not affect cure outcomes.

    Examination of the Empathy Scores of Undergraduate and Graduate Students Enrolled in a Faculty of Dentistry · 2026 · DOI

  • By presenting this contradictory evidence, the account becomes more realistic and hence valid. How the data are mixed has received considerable recent attention (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007).

    Multilevel Determinants of Engagement in Lifelong Learning in Orthodontics From Formal to AI-Supported Approaches: Development of a Conceptual Framework Through a Qualitative Study · 2026 · DOI

  • as acts clinical diagnostic Multi-source feedback (MSF) a instrument. Although and pinpointing educational personal performance deficiencies is essential, the core objective of this assessment is to deliver targeted formative feedback for assessed students and guide their targeted professional growth. MSF outcomes provide students with detailed, multidimensional insights into their comprehensive clinical competence and professional behaviors, supporting their long-term continuous self-improvement and iterative ability optimization driven by it helps identify gaps assessment feedback (29). Furthermore, in comprehensive dental education activities. Accordingly, corresponding curriculum adjustment and teaching optimization strategies were formulated, constructing a full closed educational targeted management loop covering assessment diagnosis, rectification, teaching reform and effect re-verification, so as to steadily upgrade overall clinical comprehensive abilities of dental students. To achieve this, the 360-degree evaluation system must possess robust data analysis capabilities and effective methods for presenting results to enable stratified and targeted feedback (28–30). Currently, the evaluation of clinical instructors is limited to numerical scores, without open-ended questions to gather more detailed student’ suggestions. Moreover, the lack of significant differentiation in the ratings may indicate that the evaluation items are not sufficiently detailed, specific, or comprehensive. Due to the consistency of teaching arrangements, only two instructors were recruited in this study. Nevertheless, a larger teacher sample is required to draw solid conclusions regarding the reliability of instructor evaluation. This limitation also points out a worthwhile direction for our future teaching evaluation research. Accordingly, we frame the instructor evaluation component as a pilot or a feasibility study within the broader implementation of multi-source feedback (MSF). So far, this study has only reached the stages of diagnosis and feedback. Future efforts should focus on tracking improvements, refining the evaluation scale to make it more scientific, concise, and targeted, as well as leveraging efficient information technology and designing smoother, more rational processes. These represent key directions for subsequent research.

    Beyond traditional metrics: the holistic role of multisource feedback in comprehensive dental clinical education · 2026 · DOI

  • 728 While the urgency for COVID-19-specific interventions has diminished, antiseptic 729 mouthwashes remain relevant for broader applications in oral and respiratory health. Future 730 research should explore their role in reducing viral loads for other respiratory pathogens, 731 such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and emerging coronaviruses, which 732 continue to pose public health risks. Additionally, investigating the long-term effects of 733 antiseptic mouthwashes on oral microbiota, periodontal health, gut health, and antimicrobial 734 resistance could provide valuable insights into their broader health benefits. Further studies 735 should also focus on optimizing rinsing protocols, including factors such as rinse duration, 736 frequency, and active ingredient concentrations, to enhance utility. 737 Conducting larger, well-powered clinical trials with diverse populations and extended follow- 738 up periods would help determine the long-term impact of mouthwashes on viral transmission 739 and overall oral health. Exploring their potential role in reducing bacterial and viral 740 transmission in healthcare settings, schools, and other high-risk environments could also be 741 valuable. medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.20.26353686 ; this version posted May 22, 2026. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license . 37 742 In conclusion, in this pilot randomized clinical trial, we observed no statistically significant 743 differences in SARS-CoV-2 viral load between OTC antiseptic mouthwashes and distilled 744 water. Although some products showed slightly greater increases in Ct values than the 745 control (water) over time, these changes were not clinically meaningful. Throat wash samples 746 demonstrated strong agreement with throat swabs and may offer a reliable alternative when 747 swab collection is not feasible. Given the small sample size, early trial discontinuation, and 748 mixed findings across the literature, larger well-powered studies are needed to determine 749 whether antiseptic mouthwashes have a role in reducing viral transmission.

    Effect of Antiseptic Mouthwash/Gargling Solutions on SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load: A Randomized Clinical Trial · 2026 · DOI

  • This study has several limitations. The findings reflect the instructional affordances of the specific CI and VR software platforms employed, and may not be directly transferable to systems with different interface designs or functionalities. The small sample size and single‑institu‑ tion design restricted statistical power and generalizabil‑ ity. Use of only two CBCT datasets limited anatomical diversity. The VR setup lacked dual headsets, hindering real‑time instructor–student alignment. Together, these factors underscore the preliminary nature of the work and highlight the need for larger, multi‑institutional studies with varied datasets and improved technical integration. Furthermore, the absence of a Pre‑test for Clinical Application limits the ability to quantify individual learn‑ ing gains in this domain. While Post‑test and Follow‑Up scores reflect newly acquired skills and their short‑term retention, the lack of baseline data should be considered a limitation when interpreting these results. In addi‑ tion, the CI + VR group received approximately double the instructional exposure compared to CI or VR alone, which may represent a potential confound when inter‑ preting group differences.

    Digital and immersive approaches to anatomy education: a pilot comparative study of CI, VR, and hybrid learning in implant planning · 2026 · DOI

  • Although the World Health Organization issued provisional guidelines to address considerations for essential oral health services during the pandemic and endemic phases of COVID-19, there are limited studies on dental professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding COVID-19.

    Dental professionals’ adaptation to COVID-19 transition in Malaysia · 2025 · DOI

  • Virtual reality (VR) patient simulators promise practice in a realistic environment with detailed, frequent and objective feedback, but it remains unclear whether these features lead to better or faster skill acquisition.

    The effect of virtual reality simulators on tooth preparation skills of dental students · 2025 · DOI

  • Factors that were found to potentially impact accuracies, such as the range of vestibular scans, the number and position of virtual interocclusal records (VIRs), the location and extension of edentulous areas, alignment methods, and evaluation software programs have been extensively studied, but the extent to which these factors affect accuracy remains uncertain and varies depending on the specific circumstances.

    Evaluation Methods and Influencing Factors on Accuracy for Static Virtual Articulation Obtained by Intraoral Scanners: A Critical Review of the Literature · 2024 · DOI

  • BACKGROUND/AIM: Childhood dental trauma poses a prevalent concern, and the limited knowledge of lay caregivers toward the needed immediate actions can adversely affect a child's well-being.

    Validation of an educational comic book to guide conducts in situations of dental trauma · 2023 · DOI

  • AIM: Since there is a lack of data on dentofacial esthetic perception in Saudi Arabia, the present research was conducted to study children's and their parent's perceptions of smiles with different dental alignments and dental appearances.

    Saudi Children\'s and Their Parents\' Perception of a Digitally Modified Photograph Model of Different Smiles with Different Anterior Teeth Alignments and Dental Appearances · 2023 · DOI

  • Conclusion This study revealed important gaps in knowledge and attitudes towards prevention and control measures against infection in dental environments in the context of COVID-19, indicating the need for improvements.

    Staff Knowledge and Attitudes Towards COVID-19 New Biosafety Practices at a Brazilian Dental School · 2022 · DOI

  • CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the present findings suggest that clinical experience has a higher impact on the accuracy of digital wax patterns of single crowns than CAD experience.

    Does Clinical Experience Affect Chairside Digital Waxing of Single Crowns More Than Software Training? · 2022 · DOI

  • Within the limitations of this study, the benefit of introducing new technology in increasing student confidence and reducing stress offers opportunity for educational improvement in the VPT and cariology areas.

    Preclinical <scp>3D</scp>‐printed laboratory simulation of deep caries and the exposed pulp reduced student anxiety and stress, while increasing confidence and knowledge in vital pulp treatment · 2022 · DOI

  • Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the findings observed herein suggest that the use of digital workflows in dentistry could lead to increased safety and reduced transmission of COVID-19 during the current pandemic.

    Clinical relevance of digital dentistry during COVID-19 outbreak · 2021 · DOI

  • CONCLUSION: In summary, the dental students demonstrated an acceptable general knowledge about COVID-19, but dental schools will need to address gaps in knowledge, preventive measures, and perceptions to ensure a safer return to in person activities.

    Brazilian dental students and COVID‐19: A survey on knowledge and perceptions · 2021 · DOI

  • Who decides, and who bears the responsibility for the outcome in the end? What factors are influencing the associated patient satisfaction, and is the decision-making process crucial for final patient satisfaction? It may be due to these open questions that a new (scientific) area is rising in interest and importance: shared decision-making (SDM).

    Editorial: Shared Decision-Making in Prosthodontics · 2020 · DOI

  • The longer-term impact of Covid-19 on anatomy departments is not yet understood but it may have a negative influence on both medical education and the students' future careers for several years to come (Cuschieri and Calleja Agius, 2020; Franchi, 2020).

    A Journey Like No Other: Anatomy 2020! · 2020 · DOI

  • Within the limitations of this study, a fully digital workflow is to considered more reliable when it come to creating an esthetic mockup: the digital procedure has been shown to be more accurate than the one made manually which is much more operator dependent and it brings an increase to the chance of error, and that could ultimately affect the final result.

    Milled versus moulded mock-ups based on the superimposition of 3D meshes from digital oral impressions: a comparative in vitro study in the aesthetic area · 2019 · DOI

  • Very few studies have been done to know the effect of absenteeism on revenue generation and treatment outcome with the help of postcard, telephone, and text messages as reminder; however, these studies have concluded that there was statistically significant difference found in treatment outcome and revenue generation.

    Implication of Auto-generated Message Reminders System (Software) and Rate of Absenteeism in Orthodontic Clinic: A Randomized Controlled Trial · 2017 · DOI

  • Conclusion: The level of knowledge of UESB Dentistry academics on hematological disorders is insufficient and there isn't a gradual increment of this knowledge throughout the semesters, polarized mainly in the 6th and 10th semester.

    Evaluation of dentistry students' knowledge on hematologic disorders · 2016 · DOI

  • CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, the conversion tables were suitable for the determination of tooth color using the 3D shade guide followed by conversion into VC shades without adding a clinically significant error.

    Selecting VITA Classical Shades with the VITA 3D-Master Shade Guide · 2014 · DOI

  • CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, in single-tooth implant restorations, a total PES/WES score greater than 12 would provide a STIR that would be clinically acceptable in the majority of situations.

    Comparing Pink and White Esthetic Scores to Layperson Perception in the Single-Tooth Implant Patient · 2014 · DOI

  • INTRODUCTION:Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) is a simple technique that enables the treatment of caries with hand tools and without anesthesia where clinic access is lacking.

    Longevity of atraumatic restorations performed by undergraduate dentistry students · 2014 · DOI

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151 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 3,226 Dental Research and COVID-19 papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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