Dental educators’ view of undergraduate dental education during the peak of insurgency in Nigeria: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the dental educators’ view of undergraduate education during the peak of insurgency on undergraduate dental education.

Materials and methods: A qualitative descriptive design was undertaken between March and April, 2018 among dental educators that included the Dean and all academic staff in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Maiduguri, North Eastern Nigeria. The study participants were selected using purposive sampling method and in-depth interviews were carried out with these dental educators under the guidance of a semi-structured interview form. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic approach.

Results: In line with the views of dental educators, 5 main themes: student enrolment and graduation, impact on training, psychology of staff and students, infrastructure and health care workforce and assistance needed to improve on dental education were determined as their views of insurgency on dental education. Two sub-themes: recruitment and retention of staff and impact on administrative and teaching resources also were determined.

Conclusions: This study provided an insight into the dental educators’ perspective of undergraduate dental education during insurgency in north eastern Nigeria. Numerous impact of insurgency on training, psychology and infrastructure were identified which were not unsurprising for an educational institution in a low-income and conflict affected area of Nigeria. Assistance needed by the university to meet her goals in establishing the dental school were suggested