This article reports the intent to receive a SARS-COV-2 vaccine, its predictors and willingness to pay in Bangladesh. We carried out an online cross-sectional survey of 697 adults from the general population of Bangladesh in January 2021. A structured questionnaire was used to assess vaccination intent. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables and health belief model constructs which may predict vaccination intent. Among the participants, 26% demonstrated a definite intent, 43% probable intent, 24% probable negative, and 7% a definite negative intention. Multivariable logistic regression analyses suggest an association between definite intent and previous COVID-19 infection (OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.71–4.78), perceiving COVID-19 as serious (OR: 1.93; 1.04–3.59), the belief that vaccination would make them feel less worried about catching COVID-19 (OR: 4.42; 2.25–8.68), and concerns about vaccine affordability (OR: 1.51; 1.01–2.25). Individuals afraid of the side effects (OR: 0.34; 0.21–0.53) and those who would take the vaccine if the vaccine were taken by many others (OR: 0.44; 0.29–0.67) are less likely to have a definite intent. A definite negative intent is associated with the concern that the vaccine may not be halal (OR: 2.03; 1.04–3.96). Furthermore, 68.4% are willing to pay for the vaccine. The median amount that they are willing to pay is USD 7.08. The study findings reveal that the definite intent to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among the general population varies depending on their COVID-19-related health beliefs and no significant association was found with sociodemographic variables.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, dental education institutions throughout the world experienced significant challenges, including a quick shift to an online learning paradigm. Since the pandemic has had a considerable impact on dental education, this research evaluated the perspectives and attitudes towards online learning among undergraduate dental students in Bangladesh. Methods: The research was conducted through a cross-sectional method using self-administered online questionnaires. The questionnaire included information on the students’ sociodemographic status, their views, and their attitudes about the changes in the educational system, specifically regarding online learning. The study gathered data from 952 undergraduate students from 14 dental institutions in Bangladesh. Results: The results suggested that 87.5% of all the students were unsatisfied with their online programs. Most of the respondents who expressed dissatisfaction with their online classes were female, did not receive assistance in overcoming barriers to accessing the classes or materials (64.23%), did not have access to the institutional online-learning management system (OLMS) (67.35%), and did not have access to the online course materials (71.43%). The students considered that the shift to online learning failed to provide quality clinical teaching. Conclusions: The lack of an OLMS was found to be linked with dissatisfaction with online learning among Bangladeshi dental students during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, insufficient time allocation and a lack of support through online training were found to be strongly correlated with the students’ discontent. The overall findings highlight the need to develop and implement effective online dentistry educational interventions to promote academic advancement and key practical skills.

Background: Psychological sufferings are observed among dental students during their academic years, which had been intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study assessed the levels and identified factors associated with psychological distress, fear and coping experienced by dental undergraduate students in Bangladesh. Methods: A cross sectional online survey was conducted during October-November, 2021. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) were used in order to assess psychological distress, fear and coping strategies, respectively. Results: A total of 327 students participated; the majority (72%) were 19–23 years old and females (75%). One in five participants were infected with COVID-19 and 15% reported contact with COVID-19 cases. Negative financial impact (AOR 3.72, 95% CIs 1.28–10.8), recent or past COVID-19 infection, and contact with COVID-19 cases were associated with higher levels of psychological distress; but being a third year student (0.14, 0.04–0.55) and being satisfied about current social life (0.11, 0.03–0.33) were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Being a third year (0.17, 0.08–0.39) and a fourth year student (0.29, 0.12–0.71) were associated with lower levels of fear. Health care service use and feeling positive about life were associated with medium to high resilience coping. Conclusions: This study identified dental students in Bangladesh who were at higher risk of psychological distress, fear and coping during the ongoing pandemic. Development of a mental health support system within dental institutions should be considered in addition to the academic and clinical teaching.

Background: Bangladesh has been attracting international students with interests in various subjects recently. Every year students from different parts of the world come to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses, mostly at private universities in Bangladesh. This study evaluates the depression status among international students who are studying dentistry in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among International undergraduate dental students who enrolled in the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program in nine public and private dental colleges in Bangladesh. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. A total of 206 students completed the survey where 78.5% of them were female students and 21.5% students were male, and a CES-D 10-item Likert scale questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha for the 10-item CES-D scale for this population is 0.812. Results: The majority of the students (79.5%) are below 24 years of age with a mean age of 23.22 years and standard deviation of 2.3, and are students who cannot communicate well in Bengali (Bangla), about 60% of them have experienced depression. About 77.3% (p < 0.00) of the international students having financial difficulties exhibited depression. The international students who went through financial problems were two times more likely to suffer from depression (OR = 2.38; p-value < 0.01). Conclusion: This study tried to highlight the struggles faced by international students in Bangladesh studying dentistry. It is evident from the findings that several factors influence students’ mental well-being during demanding dental education years.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unpre-cedented strike on humanity around the world . The scenario in Bangladesh is getting worse day by day, and every aspect of the society is observing its impact. Health care professionals are at a greater risk of contracting the disease while caring for patients. Objective: The research objective is to explore knowledge, awareness, and practices of registered dentists regarding COVID-19 epidemiology and transmission during the rapid outbreak of this highly contagious virus in Bangladesh. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among the dentists who were enrolled with their valid unique Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) registration number. A structured questionnaire was distributed among the dentists through different social media platforms. A total of 184 dentists participated in the survey between March and April 2020. Both descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The dentists' mean age was 31.75 years, with a standard deviation of 6.5 years. About 29.3% of dentists completed their postgraduate qualification, and 76% of them were engaged in private practice at the time of data collection. Compared to the dentists with undergraduate education, the dentists with a postgraduate education are three times (OR=3.1, 95%CI 1.2-7.9 and over 5 times (OR=5.3, 95% CI: 1.2-23.3) more likely to have) better knowledge and practices toward COVID-19 respectively. Dentists aged 26-30 years are less likely to have good practices than the younger dentists (OR: .1; 95% CI: .01-.5). However, dentists with less than five years experience are 10.3 (1.6-68.9) times more likely to have good practices compared to the dentists with more experience. Conclusion: Majority of the dentists from Bangladesh have shown good knowledge, awareness, and practice regarding COVID-19. We recommend that the healthcare authorities, professional organizations, and hospitals coordinate, and conduct mandatory advanced infectious disease training for all the practicing dentists in the country.

Background Bangladesh has been attracting international students on various subjects in recent times. Every year students from different parts of the world come to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses, mostly at private universities in Bangladesh. This study evaluates the depression status among international students who are studying dentistry in Bangladesh. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted among International undergraduate dental students who enrolled in the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program in nine public and private dental colleges in Bangladesh. A total of 206 students completed the survey, and CES-D 10 items Likert scale questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha for CES-D 10 scale items for this population is 0.812. Results The majority of the students (79.5%) are below 24 years of age, and students who cannot communicate well in Bengali (Bangla), about 60% of them have experienced depression. About 77.3% (p< 0.00) of the international students having financial difficulties exhibited depression. The international students who went through financial problems were two times more likely to suffer from depression (OR=2.38; p-value <0.01). Conclusion This study tried to highlight the struggles faced by international students in Bangladesh studying dentistry. It is evident from the findings that several factors influence students' mental well-being during demanding dental education years.