The persistence of knowledge gaps among specialist students indicates that clinical seniority alone does not guarantee first-aid competence, and supports treating first-aid proficiency as an outcome to be deliberately verified at successive stages of dental training rather than assumed to accrue with experience.
Abstract
Background
Dental professionals frequently treat patients with systemic conditions, and medical emergencies can occur during dental procedures, circumstances that underscore the importance of first-aid competence in dental training. In this study, specialist dental students refers to postgraduate students enrolled in accredited dental specialty programmes (e.g., orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics). This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate and compare first-aid knowledge levels among pre-clinical (years 1-3), clinical (years 4-5), and specialist dental students enrolled in Turkish dental faculties, and to assess whether the proportion reporting formal first-aid training differed across these groups.
Methods
Data were collected using a validated 23-item questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.87) distributed via Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, CA, USA) across Turkish dental faculties in October 2023. A total of 1,093 students participated. Group comparisons were performed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests; the Chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Binary logistic regression identified independent predictors of adequate knowledge. Effect sizes were calculated using eta-squared (η²) and r.
Results
A statistically significant difference in first-aid knowledge was identified across the three groups (p < 0.001). Adequate knowledge was demonstrated by 82.1% of specialist students, 61.8% of clinical students, and 41.7% of pre-clinical students. Overall, 35.5% of participants reported prior formal first-aid training, with the proportion differing significantly across groups (p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified training stage (specialist vs. pre-clinical: OR 5.39, 95% CI 3.32-8.77; clinical vs. pre-clinical: OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.61-2.85) and prior first-aid training (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.06-1.84) as independent predictors. Sex was not significant (p = 0.175).
Conclusions
First-aid knowledge in dental students is more closely tied to progression through training stages than to sex, yet the persistence of knowledge gaps among specialist students indicates that clinical seniority alone does not guarantee first-aid competence. These findings support treating first-aid proficiency as an outcome to be deliberately verified at successive stages of dental training rather than assumed to accrue with experience.
Aim: As future dentists, undergraduate dental students require comprehensive and effective training in implantology to deliver accurate and evidence-based implant treatment. However, there is limited and inconclusive evidence regarding whether dental students possess sufficient foundational knowledge of dental implantology. This study aimed to compare the levels of awareness and knowledge related to implant treatment among undergraduate dental students receiving implant education at a university in Turkey, specifically between final-year students nearing graduation and fourth-year students still enrolled in the program.Material and Methods: The study population consisted of undergraduate dental students at xxx, xxx. A total of 121 students participated, including 54 fourth year and 67 fifth-year students. Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire developed through Google Forms (Google LLC, United States), which comprised 29 questions. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22. Chi-square tests were used to assess relationships between categorical variables, while the Mann–Whitney U test was applied for intergroup comparisons. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: Fifth-year students demonstrated significantly higher accuracy in clinically relevant and decision-critical areas, including implant positioning distances, prosthetic components, and immediate loading protocols.Conclusion: Final-year dental students exhibited a higher level of implant-related knowledge compared with fourth-year students. These findings suggest that implant education should be distributed more systematically and progressively throughout the undergraduate dental curriculum.
Tuğçe Koyu, Betül İyigün, Ece İrem Oğuz· Journal of International Den...· 0 citations
Background Clinical dentistry represents the point at which students move from simulated laboratory work to treating real patients, and this transition is often accompanied by increased psychological stress. Objectives The present study examined the prevalence, causes, and contributing factors of clinical anxiety among undergraduate dental students and compared the findings with international data, including reports from Oman Dental College and other countries. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 222 undergraduate dental students comprising Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) III (n = 90), BDS IV (n = 74), and BDS V (n = 58) year students. A questionnaire-based survey was administered to students from BDS III to BDS V. Of the 222 students approached, 153 participants (response rate 68.9%) completed the modified 34-item clinical anxiety scale with a four-point Likert scale questionnaire adapted from Moss and McManus. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Results Moderate to severe levels of anxiety were reported by 61.3% of the students. The highest anxiety levels were associated with difficulty in meeting clinical requirements (78.4%), fear of extracting the wrong tooth (78.4%), performing endodontic procedures (61.4%), and providing incorrect treatment (65.4%). Lower levels of anxiety were observed in relation to routine examination procedures. The overall prevalence of anxiety was comparable to that reported by Oman Dental College (57.4%) and lower than figures from Pakistan (67.1%), but higher than those reported from Malaysia (52.3%). Conclusion Clinical anxiety among dental students is common and comparable to international findings. The integration of simulation-based mastery learning, mentorship programs, and structured psychological preparedness modules is recommended to help students cope more effectively with clinical responsibilities and improve their overall performance.
Rachappa Mallikarjuna, Triveni Nalawade, Amer Hamed Hameed Al Senaidi et al.· Frontiers in Psychology· 0 citations
Students and graduates widely support integrated clinical education as a valuable educational model that promotes holistic treatment planning and multidisciplinary coordination, however, to maximize educational effectiveness, assessment systems, organizational structure, and student-centered practices need to be developed.
Alpaslan Can Çelik, Nimet Ünlü, N. Çobanoğlu et al.· Selcuk Dental Journal· 0 citations
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge levels of dental students and graduate dentists regarding orthodontic emergencies and to identify factors independently associated with knowledge.
METHODS
This cross-sectional descriptive survey included fourth- and fifth-year dental students and graduate dentists from dental schools across Türkiye. Data were collected via an online questionnaire with three sections: demographic characteristics, knowledge regarding orthodontic emergencies (0-10 points), and awareness and perceived competence (5-25 points). Data were analysed using parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. Factors independently associated with knowledge level were examined using multiple linear regression analysis.
RESULTS
The mean knowledge score of the 460 participants was 7.08 ± 2.31. Participants performed better in basic clinical management but showed significantly lower performance in clinical prioritization and emergency intervention scenarios (p < 0.001). A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between total knowledge score and awareness score (ρ = 0.295, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that awareness score showed the strongest association with knowledge score in the adjusted regression model (β = 0.302, p < 0.001). Graduate dentists had significantly higher knowledge scores than students, whereas male gender was negatively associated with knowledge score.
CONCLUSION
Although dentists and dental students demonstrated adequate basic management knowledge regarding orthodontic emergencies, they showed important deficiencies in clinical prioritization and decision-making. These findings may identify areas for further curricular evaluation, particularly regarding clinical prioritization and emergency decision-making. Scenario-based and practice-oriented approaches may be considered as evidence-informed options for future educational development; however, their effectiveness should be evaluated in prospective intervention studies.
Kübra Arslan Çarpar, T. Yılmaz· European journal of dental e...· 0 citations
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to identify the demographic, educational, and perceptual factors associated with undergraduate dental students' intentions to perform dental implant therapy after graduation.
METHODS
A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted during the 2024-2025 academic year among fourth- and fifth-year dental students (n = 304). A structured online questionnaire collected data on demographic characteristics, sources of implant-related information, perceived importance of dental implants, preferred management of severely compromised teeth, views on the delivery of the implantology curriculum (stand-alone versus integrated), and self-reported familiarity with implant systems. Associations were examined using chi-square tests and multivariable binary logistic regression (α = 0.05).
RESULTS
Overall, 65.8% of the respondents (200/304) indicated an intention to perform implant therapy after graduation. In the adjusted logistic regression model, intention was higher among students who preferred extraction followed by implant placement than among those who preferred root canal treatment with build-up (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI 1.24-4.12; p = 0.008). Lower odds of intention were observed among female students (AOR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.25-0.94; p = 0.033), students who rated implants as "very important" (AOR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.12-0.60; p = 0.001) or "important" (AOR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.18-1.00; p = 0.049) compared with "essential," and students who did not support implantology as a separate subject (AOR = 0.51; 95% CI 0.27-0.96; p = 0.038).
CONCLUSIONS
Future intention to perform dental implant therapy was associated mainly with treatment preference, perceived importance of implant therapy, and views on implantology teaching as a separate subject, rather than academic stage or informal learning sources. These findings suggest that clinically meaningful undergraduate implant education may be more closely associated with professional intention than exposure alone.
H. Radhi, Qasiar Khaleel Oraibi, A. Hassan et al.· BMC Oral Health· 0 citations
Background: Digital technologies are increasingly transforming the field of maxillofacial prosthetics; however, the extent to which undergraduate dental education has adapted to these developments remains unclear. Evaluating dental students’ knowledge and attitudes toward conventional and digital workflows is essential for identifying potential educational gaps.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 201 undergraduate dental students (99 fourth-year and 102 fifth-year) receiving clinical prosthodontic training. Data were collected using a 24-item structured questionnaire distributed online. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed using a 12-item Likert-type scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and comparisons between groups were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test and Chi-square test, where appropriate (α = 0.05).Results: Fourth-year students demonstrated significantly higher total knowledge and attitude scores than fifth-year students (p = 0.012). They also reported greater clinical exposure to maxillofacial cases and higher involvement in impression procedures (p = 0.018 and p = 0.036). Conversely, fifth-year students showed significantly higher self-reported knowledge regarding the operating principles of digital scanners (p = 0.002). Fourth-year students expressed stronger confidence in the accuracy and time-saving advantages of digital technologies (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001). Despite positive attitudes toward digitalization, awareness of specialized digital software such as craniofacial CAD and digital imaging platforms remained low among both groups.Conclusions: Although dental students demonstrate positive attitudes toward digital technologies in maxillofacial prosthetics, gaps remain between theoretical awareness and practical knowledge. Integrating structured digital workflow training into undergraduate dental curricula may help improve clinical competence and better prepare future clinicians for digitally driven maxillofacial rehabilitation.Keywords: Maxillofacial prosthetics, digital dentistry, dental education, dental students, digital workflow
İrem Sözen Yanık, Aslıhan Öztürk, A. Karayel et al.· Selcuk Dental Journal· 0 citations
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