Survey on the Awareness of New Students at Department of Oral Health Sciences, the Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu Dental University

－about the impact influence of COVID-19－

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to support educational and public relations activities, to examine whether COVID-19 has had an impact on university selection behavior by analyzing questionnaires to clarify how new students knew the department and decided taking the entrance examination. The survey asked 100 new students (FY2021-2024) to answer several questions. To investigate the COVID-19 pandemic's impact, a test was conducted on the difference in maternal ratios between the pandemic-phase (FY2021-2022) and the convergence-phase (FY2023-2024). There was no significant difference between the pandemicphase and the convergence-phase in the percentage of students who passed the entrance examination at the first attempt, and the opportunities to know this department. No significant difference was found between the two phases in the Kyushu and Chugoku regions, as well as in the Fukuoka and Hiroshima prefectures, which were the top regions of origin. The proportion of students with non-dental medical professionals in own relationship significantly increased from the pandemic-phase (12.0%) to the convergence-phase (30.0%). The top reason for applying was “good pass rate for national examinations” (45.0%), which did not differ significantly between the two phases, while “attracted to Kitakyushu” increased significantly from the pandemic-phase (2.0%) to the convergence-phase (14.0%). It was suggested that COVID-19 increased medical professionals' interest in the dentistry's field and increased their consideration of this department as a career path for their children. Educational and public relations activities that also convey the attractiveness of Kitakyushu-City, and the continuous dissemination of university information, is considered effective as admissions public relations.