Purpose/objectives To investigate dental students’ perceptions and concerns regarding the COVID‐19 pandemic, their coping strategies and support resources, and their perceived stress levels. Methods A customized 19‐item survey and the perceived stress scale (PSS) were applied to undergraduate dental students from the US, Spain, Ireland, Chile, India, and Brazil between April 10 and July 5, 2020. Linear modeling and mediation analysis were used to explore the relationships among demographics, stressors, coping mechanisms, social support, and stress Results A total of 4475 students responded to the survey. The majority (72.4%) were women, and 52.3% had no COVID‐19 training at the time of the survey. The students reported that they had to accommodate to changes in patient care (96.6%) and didactic learning (95.2%) activities, while 88.5% of the respondents indicated at least one of their courses moved online. Transition to online courses went “smoothly with some troubles” for 51.8% of the respondents, and 48.3% perceived the faculty as prepared for the online transition; however, 45.9% reported feeling extremely concerned about the impact of COVID‐19 on their education. The average PSS score was 21.9 of 40 (moderate stress). Multivariate models were built for participants with full data (n = 3899). Being male, having completed more dental coursework, and perceiving a smoother transition were associated with lower PSS scores; more concern about academic progress was associated with higher PSS. Faculty support mediated the relationship between a smoothness of transition and concern about academic progress and PSS scores Conclusion Stress caused by the pandemic may be alleviated by smoother transition and good faculty support.

Purpose/Objectives The aim for this study was to identify important factors influencing patient satisfaction in a university dental clinic, through qualitative analysis. Methods From June 1, 2014 to January 30, 2018, 7827 patient satisfaction surveys were collected. A thematic analysis was conducted on the 10,956 patient responses to 3 open‐ended questions. A thematic coding dictionary was inductively developed using thematic analysis managed with MAXQDA 2018 Standard, a qualitative data management software program. Results The thematic dictionary included 12 categories, developed from 48 working codes, and enabled the patient annotations to be grouped and sorted based on common themes to highlight significant aspects of the patient experience. Four notable themes that emerged from patient comments include: (1) satisfaction with the emotional care felt during their appointments; (2) satisfaction with skills and treatment provided and the connections made with various personnel; (3) the importance of establishing and maintaining patient expectations throughout their care; and (4) the high value patients place on clear communication with the patient, as well as the communication between departments, dental student and faculty, providers, and front desk. Conclusion The results of this study highlight 12 key themes related to the patient experience at the College of Dentistry from the patients’ perspective. These data provide insight into aspects of the dental experience that have a large effect on patient satisfaction. With this knowledge, steps can be taken to enhance the patient experience and, therefore, help dental schools move further in the direction of person‐centered care.