Abstract :
Objective: Stress among dental students has been reported widely across the globe. Contemporary curricula
require the students to learn theoretical knowledge and clinical skills. The education process creates high
occupational stress during training. The present study attempts to identify the possible sources of stress
among dental students in a dental college in North India.
Material and Methods: Along with the general information (age, gender and year of study), a modified
Dental Environment Stress (DES) questionnaire consisting of 38 questions (responses based on a Likert-type
scale) was administered to first to fourth year undergraduate students. Questions related to clinical training
(Q. No: 3, 4, 10, 16, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 38) were excluded from the questionnaire administered
to non-clinical students (first and second year). Student’s t-test was used for group comparisons such as
gender differences and between the preclinical and clinical groups.
Results: Receiving an overall response rate of 93.1%, factors such as fear of unemployment, patients missing
appointments and examination grades were the most stressful items experienced. Factors pertaining to
workload and adjustment problems were more stressful preclinical students and examinations, patient work
and future insecurity was more stressful in clinical year students. Confidence and adjustment problems
were more in males and performance pressure was seen more in females.
Conclusion: The dental education system has an impact over the degree of stress experienced by dental
students. The education system thus should be reconsidered providing a protective effect towards the
dental students.
Keyword :
Stress, Dental Students, Anxiety, Burnout, Dental Education