Browsing by Author "Tshite, Koketso"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Dental students ‘experiences of remote emergency online learning at the University of the Witwatersrand during the covid-19 pandemic
    (2024) Tshite, Koketso
    Background-The Covid-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges that could provide opportunities to improve dental education. Most papers reporting these challenges and opportunities came from high-income countries, so exploring students’ experiences during emergency remote learning (ERL) in low-resource settings is imperative. Methods- A descriptive, cross-sectional, online survey was sent to 154 Bachelor of Dentistry students at the University of the Witwatersrand in October 2020. The questionnaire included open- and closed-ended questions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential tests. The open-ended responses were analysed using content analysis. Summary of results The response rate for the survey was 67.5% (99/154). There was a significant difference across the five years of study between urban and rural locations during ERL and the type of internet connection the respondents used. Respondents’ preferred teaching modalities changed from before to after ERL, with more preferring blended learning over contact or fully online learning. Conclusions- The tumult created by the sudden shift to ERL should be viewed as a learning curve to broaden our knowledge of how best to harness the affordances of online learning. The exposure to online learning appears to have shifted dental students’ preferences towards combined online and contact learning. More blended learning has implications for integrating online learning into the dental curriculum in ways that enhance learning and requires broader institutional support. Recommendations are made for ways that such support could be provided.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Location of Mandibular foramen on Mandibles of adult black South African population: a morphometric analysis and investigation into possible radiographic correlation
    (2017) Tshite, Koketso
    The objective of the study was to determine the exact location of the mandibular foramen among black South African population using a possible correlation of radiographic and morphometric analysis. Sexual dimorphism in the position of the foramen was taken into consideration. This study was conducted on a total of 253 adult dry human mandible specimens and 24 adult radiographic data from the cone beam computed tomographic records of patients. Both male and female specimens of ages between 16-56 years old and above were examined for morphometric analysis. The age group for the radiographic analysis was between 21-25 years old. The length, height and distance of the mandibular foramen in relation to the anterior and posterior border of the ramus of the mandible; superior and inferior border of the mandible as well as the distance in relation to the coronoid & condyle were measured. All the measurements were taken using a mandibulometer and the Dental sliding digital callipers for the morphometric analysis. For both radiographic and morphometric analyses, the distance of the mandibular foramen (MF) to the posterior region of ramus was smaller than that of MF to anterior region. The same pattern of results were observed for both males and females in all age groups. Males generally showed greater readings than females in all parameters, except the MF-P measurement. The MF was situated more towards the superior part of the mandible in the morphometric study. In the radiographic study, the MF was situated more towards the inferior part of the mandible. No significant difference was noted amongst different age groups. With regards to the antero-posterior dimensions of the mandible, the MF was found to be situated more towards the posterior region of the ramus for both radiographic and morphometric analyses in all age cohorts. With regards to infero-superior dimensions of the mandible, the MF was situated more towards the superior part of mandible in the morphometric analysis, but more towards the inferior part of the mandible in the radiographic analysis. In conclusion, the position of the MF was constant with regards to the antero-posterior dimensions for both radiographic and morphometric analyses. Therefore, this suggests that the chances of finding the MF in the anterior border of ramus of mandible are limited hence the anterior border can be regarded as the “safety zone” in a South African population.