Professor Emeritus (Microbiology), University of Hong Kong, and Editor-in-Chief, the International Dental Journal

Professor Emeritus Lakshman Samaranayake is a renowned clinical academic with expertise in clinical microbiomics and executive level administration. The author of over 450 scientific communications - cited over 31,000 occasions (h-index 97), and seminal texts, he has served over 13 years as the Executive Dean of dental schools in Hong Kong, Australia and UAE. He has received numerous accolades for his outstanding contributions to dentistry, including the King James IV Professorship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, UK, and the Distinguished Scientist Award of IADR, USA. He holds many visiting/adjunct professoriate appointments in the universities of Thailand, Australia, UK, Middle East, and China. He was recently appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Dental Journal, the flagship journal of the FDI World Dental Federation..

"The Impact of Pandemics on Dental Education" by Professor Lakshman Samaranayake

Abstract

Pandemics have modified societal behaviour over the millennia, and the current COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. This presentation reviews the history of past pandemics including the current COVID-19 pandemic, and their impact on dental education going forwards into the `new normal` era. The contemporary pandemics beginning with the AIDS pandemic have modulated the manner in which we educate the budding dental practitioners, beyond recognition. The fact that COVID-19 may become an endemic disease behoves the dental educationalists to adapt modified infection control measures grounded on robust administrative and engineering controls, point-of-care diagnostics, and above all, efficacy-proven COVID vaccines. Last but not least, the incessant emergence of viral variants will be a continuing threat, going forwards.