Vol. 12 – Number 45 – 2020
COLUMN STAY INSIDE
Page 14-15
SPECIAL INTERVIEWS
Cristine Miron Stefani¹
Lucas Fernando Tabata¹
Mateus Rocha²
Dayane Oliveira²
In this issue, the “Stay tuned” column receives the current deputy head of the Dentistry Department at University of Brasilia, Professor Cristine Miron Stefani, to debate the new challenges of the return of the face-to-face pedagogical activities in the course of Dentistry, facing this new post-COVID19 reality. Prof. Cristine was already head of the Oral Health Unit of the University Hospital of Brasilia – HUB, Head of Department of Dentistry of the Faculty of Health Sciences – UnB, and has great administrative and management. In order to share this experience with our readers, our editors conducted an interview exclusive about the new scenario of dental education:
Lucas Fernando Tabata:
Welcome, Prof. Cristine. First of all, we would like to ask what will be the great challenge, in this new scenario, for the return of practical laboratorial activities and clinics in the course of Dentistry of UnB?
Cristine Miron Stefani:
Thank you for the opportunity and space to talk a little about the return, which really will be a great challenge. A lot has been said about the “new normal”, and everything indicates that we will need to live with this new reality, before the pandemic is controlled. In the course of Dentistry at UnB we were already discussing how to return to the practical activities since May, thinking about security and distancing measures, but now in October UnB signaled that the return to the practical activities could happen from February 2021, in a gradual way, so we need to make viable the planned. The great challenge, both in clinical and laboratory practices, is to maintain the safety of the entire academic community and patients, while promoting teaching-learning activities.
Lucas Fernando Tabata:
How has the Dentistry Department been preparing itself for the return of the presential activities?
Cristine Miron Stefani:
As I said, we are meeting since May of this year. Shortly after the determination of the social distancing and the interruption of the face-to-face activities, the department set up a commission to discuss the return, taking into consideration the ANVISA rules and also the evidence available in the scientific literature. The objective was to anticipate the official decision of return. Organization of the maximum safe occupation of clinics and laboratories, alternating work shifts, necessary PPE and necessary structural reforms were discussed.
Lucas Fernando Tabata:
What strategies are being implemented by the University of Brasilia for the safe return of the activities in person?
Cristine Miron Stefani:
A substantiated report was generated as part of the activities of the commission for the return to practical activities after pandemic. In this report, the need for specific PPE for all, including PFF2 masks, face shields, disposable cloaks and their specifications; changes in circulation flows in the environments, avoiding the crossing of clean and contaminated PPE/materials; maximum occupation per shift in practical environments, ensuring the distance and not agglomeration; and structural changes necessary for safe performance, including the physical separation of environments, air conditioning and installation of filters in air conditioning devices were evidenced. The report was sent to the higher levels of UnB and the University Hospital, followed by a meeting to raise awareness. In parallel, the Faculty of Health Sciences took care of purchasing PPE, especially PFF2 masks and disposable cloaks, aiming at the safety of teachers, technicians and students of all courses. The HUB, on the other hand, in order to meet the demands of adequacy of the physical structure, not only of the Dentistry, but of all sectors, has already organized a work team in order to plan and make viable projects and works. Certainly nothing will happen in short term, the return will be gradual, ensuring maximum security to all.
Lucas Fernando Tabata:
How does the teacher see the future of dental education from now on?
Cristine Miron Stefani: There is a text by Marina Colasanti entitled “I know, but I shouldn’t”, from 1972, which is still very current. The chronicler states that the human being gets used to it. It may seem bad or difficult at first, but gradually we adapt to reality. Although the text is somewhat pessimistic, in stating that “We get used to too much, so as not to suffer” and “We get used to saving life”, the truth is that adaptation is part of the resilient nature of the human being. We change what can be changed and adapt to what cannot be changed. Dentistry has had several paradigms changed abruptly due to the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic. I believe that most of the changes will be permanent. But, just as the HIV virus changed the biosafety patterns in Dentistry in the 1990’s, I believe that Sars-Cov-2 came to teach some important lessons, forcing us to rethink our practice. Certainly these new standards will be incorporated on the dental education.
¹ Department of Dentistry – Faculty of Health Sciences – University of Brasilia, Brasilia-DF-Brazil.
² Department of Restorative Dental Sciences – College of Dentistry – University of Florida, Gainesville-FL-USA.
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