Survey of perceived stress-inducing problems among dental students,Saudi Arabia

Objective

This study was conducted to assess the problems related to stress encountered by Saudi dental students.

Methods

One thousand and thirty questionnaires were distributed in four dental schools to all students from 2nd year level up to the internship level. The questionnaire contained 66 items organized into four categories: personal and administrative, theoretical, preclinical and clinical. The relationship between the demographic variables and students’ academic performance with the investigated items was also assessed.

Results

The response rate was 53%. Saudi dental students showed high levels of perceived stress. The clinical training issues imposed the highest level of stress on the students. Some significant relationships between the investigated variables and the level of the perceived stress were found.

Conclusions

Female students had higher mean overall problem scores compared to male students, and second-year students showed lower perceived problems compared to other students.     

Academic distress,perceived stress and coping strategies among dental students in Saudi Arabia

ObjectivesTo evaluate the sources of stress among students in the dental school environment, their perceived levels of stress and effective coping strategies.MethodsThis study was conducted during the first semester of the academic year, 2009–10, at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The eligible study group consisted of 556 undergraduate dental students from all five class years; they were surveyed with a detailed assessment tool. The validated and translated questionnaire comprised the modified version of the dental environmental stress (DES) survey, the perceived stress scale (PSS) and the brief coping scale (BCS).ResultsThe overall findings substantiated with multiple regression indicate that, out of 20 factors of both DES and BC instruments, six factors were significantly and independently related to perceived stress scores (F = 34.638; p < 0.0001). Especially, the factors self-efficacy and workload of DES and the factors behavioral disengagement, denial, positive reframing and venting of BC were positively and independently related to perceived stress scores.ConclusionsDental students displayed relatively high perceived stress scores. Female, advanced and married, compared with male, junior and single students reported more stress. Changes in certain environmental factors and coping strategies independently affected the perceived stress score. Strategies for stress management must be incorporated into dental education to ensure the output of effective dentists.     

口腔医学本科生学习目的与专业及职业选择的现状调查

目的：调查目前口腔医学本科生专业学习的目的与动机,分析学生对于不同口腔专业选择偏好及对未来职业选择的意愿。方法：选择国内三所大学一、四、五年级在校口腔医学本科生,并邀请其填写相应调查问卷表,根据对每个调查项目的个人主观态度进行打分,采用SPSS统计软件分析提取学习动机的主要因素。结果：共计向各院校口腔医学本科生发出调查问卷表368份,收回326份,参与率88.6％。其中一年级学生142名,男55人,女87人,平均年龄18.77岁;四、五年学生184名,男51人,女133人,平均年龄22.79岁。调查结果显示,帮助他人改善口腔健康（3.49％）是国内口腔医学生最主要的学习动机来源,收入较高（3.38％）排第二,同时还会受到个人兴趣和他人建议的影响。从专业选择偏好分析调查问卷结果显示正畸（6.92％）、种植（6.44％）、修复（6.16％）位列三甲,粘膜病专业（3.29％）和儿童牙病专业（4.14％）不受青睐。职业选择倾向顺序依次为公立医院（6.49％）,研究生深造（6.41％）,在私立医院、连锁诊所的医生或从事管理工作的民营机构执薪者（6.15％）、个体牙医（5.66％）、民营机构合伙人（5.10％）、牙科领域科学研究（4.46％）、口腔公众健康机构（4.39％）、初级卫生医疗机构（3.57％）,非口腔专业领域工作（1.84％）。结论：口腔医学生热爱专业,学习动机主要来源于为他人服务、收入较高和个人兴趣,正畸、种植及修复专业受到青睐。公立医院仍然是学生们的职业首选,但也不排斥进入私营医疗机构工作。     

Dental students' perceptions of dental specialties and factors influencing specialty and career choices

The goals of this study were to 1) evaluate dental students' perceptions of dental specialties, 2) identify factors that play an important role in students' decision to pursue specialty training or career choices, and 3) establish a baseline of students' perceptions of the dental fields with the best future in terms of salary, personal and patient quality of life, and overall impact on the dental profession. Surveys were distributed to 494 students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Data were collected from 380 traditional four-year students and thirty advanced standing students. Chi-square tests, multivariate analysis, and logistic regressions were used to determine associations and independent contributions of student demographics to their perceptions of dental specialties and factors influencing specialty training or career choices. Debt was a statistically significant factor (p<0.001) in choosing specialty training or career independent of gender, age, or class year. Enjoyment of providing care in a specialty or field was identified as the single most important factor in choosing a specialty career. Half of the respondents had decided not to specialize. Pursuing postdoctoral general dentistry training and private practice in general dentistry were the most commonly reported plans after completion of dental school. Suggestions are made for ways to inform students about specialty training.     

Comparison of attitudes towards dental education among dental students in Japan and China

The aim of this study was to identify and compare the attitudes of dental students towards dental education in Japan and China. Fifty‐four dental students from the Stomatology School of China Medical University and 51 dental students from the Dental Faculty of Kyushu University, Japan, participated in this study. Information was derived from a self‐answered questionnaire consisting of 11 items. Significant differences in the responses of the participants from the two countries were detected for 10 of the questionnaire items (P < 0.05). Nearly three‐quarters of the Japanese students were satisfied with the teaching faculties of their schools, while only a quarter of the Chinese students indicated satisfaction. A total of 69% of Chinese students thought that learning a foreign language wasted too much time compared with none of the Japanese students. A student‐oriented teaching mode was not well accepted by either of the groups, and 62% of Chinese students and 53% of Japanese students wanted to increase the duration of the clinical practice stage of education. The findings from this study enhance our understanding of differences and/or similarities among dental students in the two nations. This information may help to define strategies to improve the quality of dental education, and especially exchange programmes of international students.     

Knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS among dental students of Jazan University,Kingdom Saudi Arabia

Objectives

To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dental students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia; compare the differences in HIV/AIDS related knowledge and attitudes between the genders and years of study.

Requirement and supply of dental services in Victoria

The appropriateness of dental manpower has become a great uncertainty in the changing practice of dentistry. This paper presents research on the requirement for and supply of dental services in Victoria between 1984 and 1996. The requirement for dental services was found to be increasing due to population growth and higher per capita demand due to decreased endentulism. The supply of dental services was found to be mildly decreasing due to balanced supplementation and attrition processes and subtle sex ratio and age distribution changes among dentists. The resulting market excess, even after consideration of idle capacity and transfer of services supplied to dental therapists, provides a marked contrast to many, but not all, developed countries. It also offers an opportunity to shape occupational and specialty distribution to the advantage of dental professions and the public.     

Practice plans of and factors influencing graduating dental students in China

Objectives: The increasing number of dental schools and increasing annual dental undergraduate enrolment have resulted in stronger competition in job hunting among dental graduates. This study aimed to investigate the practice plans of graduating dental students and the factors influencing their practice choice. Methods: Final-year dental students of Capital Medical University who graduated between 2009 and 2011 (n = 149) were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The data were analysed using SPSS version 13.0. The Mann–Whitney test was used to analyse two independent samples, and the Kruskal–Wallis test was used for more than two samples. Fisher’s exact test and the chi-squared test were also used to compare qualitative data. Results: Among the respondents, 75.8% were female (n = 113) and 54.4% (n = 81) indicated that it was difficult to find an ideal practice position immediately following graduation. The three main contributing factors were the lack of employment opportunities (43%, n = 64), lack of work experience (40.9%, n = 61) and an inferior undergraduate degree (26.8%, n = 40). Among the respondents, 55.7% (n = 83) planned to pursue further study at university, whereas 44.3% (n = 66) planned to enter clinical practice. We also investigated the level and type of sectors in which respondents anticipated practicing, as well as the conditions that attracted respondents to practice in community health service centres. Conclusions: Our findings have implications for dental educators, administrators and policy makers as they attempt to recruit qualified dental graduates to meet the nation’s future dental health-care needs and advance the profession of dentistry.Key words: Dental student, practice plans, dental workforce, dental education, China     

Risk factors for dental erosion in 5-6 year old and 12-14 year old boys in Saudi Arabia

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Dental examinations were carried out on 354 boys aged 5-6 years, and 862 boys aged 12-14 years, attending 40 schools in Riyadh. The prevalence of dental erosion was assessed using diagnostic criteria similar to those employed in the 1993 UK National Survey of Child Dental Health. RESULTS: Pronounced dental erosion (into dentine or dentine and pulp) was observed in 34% of 5-6 year olds and 26% of 12-14 year olds. Information on food and drink consumed and dietary habits was obtained by means of a questionnaire. Parents reported that 65% of 5-6 year old boys took a drink to bed. Water was the commonest drink consumed (37%) followed by carbonated soft drinks (21%). One third of parents reported that their son had something to eat in bed or during the night and 60% of this was sweet food or confectionery. Seventy per cent of 12-14 year old boys reported consuming drinks at night; these were mainly water (30%), carbonated soft drinks (27%) and tea or coffee, with sugar (18%). Forty-six per cent of the 12-14 year olds reported that they ate in bed at least once a week and 54% of this was sweet food or confectionery. When the dental examination and questionnaire results were correlated, a statistically significant relationship was found between the number of primary maxillary incisors with pronounced erosion of their palatal surfaces and the consumption of carbonated soft drinks at night (P=0.015). A significant relationship was also found between the number of permanent maxillary incisors with pronounced erosion on their palatal surfaces and the frequency of drinks at night (P=0.020), as well as the duration of drinks retained in the mouth (P=0.038). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that dental erosion is more common in the primary and permanent dentitions of Saudi Arabian boys compared with results for similar age groups from the United Kingdom.     

Assessment of knowledge and attitude toward stem cells and their implications in dentistry among recent graduates of dental schools in Saudi Arabia

Background

To evaluate the knowledge and attitude level of recent dental graduates in Saudi Arabia toward stem cells and their potential therapeutic applications.

Self-reported differences between oral health attitudes of pre-clinical and clinical students at a dental teaching institute in Saudi Arabia

ObjectiveTo compare the attitudes of preclinical and clinical dental students toward their own oral health using the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI).MethodsThe English-language version of the 20-item HU-DBI was distributed to all preclinical and clinical students at the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dichotomized (agree/disagree) responses to 12 HU-DBI items were used in this study, with a maximum possible score of 12. Responses to the remaining eight statements reflected general oral health attitudes and were excluded from the analysis. Data were analyzed statistically.ResultsThe overall response rate was 72.2% (preclinical, 72.5%; clinical, 72%). The mean HU-DBI score was significantly higher among clinical than among preclinical dental students (7 vs. 5.8; P < 0.05). Higher proportions of preclinical than clinical students did not worry about visiting the dentist but postponed dental visits until they experienced toothache. Furthermore, more preclinical than clinical students reported that their gums bled upon brushing, used a child-sized toothbrush, had observed white, sticky deposits on their teeth, and used strong strokes for toothbrushing. More clinical than preclinical students reported that they did not feel that the condition of their teeth was worsening despite brushing, worried about the color of their teeth, brushed each of their teeth carefully, and checked their teeth in the mirror after brushing.ConclusionsDental health awareness programs should be implemented and information about positive oral health attitudes should be provided to the students at an initial stage of dental training.     

A systematic review of population-based dental caries studies among children in Saudi Arabia

ObjectiveDental caries critically impacts the health and development of children. Understanding caries experience is an important task for Saudi Arabian policymakers to identify intervention targets and improve oral health. The purpose of this review is to analyze current data to assess the nationwide prevalence and severity of caries in children, to identify gaps in baseline information, and to determine areas for future research.MethodsA search of published and unpublished studies in PubMed, Google, and local Saudi medical and dental journals was conducted for the three keywords “dental,” “caries,” and “Saudi Arabia.” The inclusion criteria required that the articles were population-based studies that assessed the prevalence of dental caries in healthy children attending regular schools using a cross-sectional study design of a random sample.Results/discussionThe review was comprised of one unpublished thesis and 27 published surveys of childhood caries in Saudi Arabia. The earliest study was published in 1988 and the most recent was published in 2010. There is a lack of representative data on the prevalence of dental caries among the whole Saudi Arabian population. The national prevalence of dental caries and its severity in children in Saudi Arabia was estimated to be approximately 80% for the primary dentition with a mean dmft of 5.0 and approximately 70% for children’s permanent dentition with a mean DMFT score of 3.5. The current estimates indicate that the World Health Organization (WHO) 2000 goals are still unmet for Saudi Arabian children.ConclusionChildhood dental caries is a serious dental public health problem that warrants the immediate attention of the government and the dental profession officials in Saudi Arabia. Baseline data on oral health and a good understanding of dental caries determinants are necessary for setting appropriate oral health goals. Without the ability to describe the current situation, it is not possible to identify whether progress is being made toward these goals. A roadmap with a clear starting point, destination, and pathway is a desperately needed tool to improve the oral health of Saudi Arabian children.     

西藏那曲藏族学生砖茶型氟牙症调查与分析

目的了解西藏那曲藏族学生氟牙症流行情况及发病因素。方法采用单纯随机抽样的方法，对12～17周岁的471名藏族学生进口腔检查和问卷调查，氟牙症按Dean分类法，采用SPSS for Windows11．5进行统计分析，饮用酥油茶与氟牙症的相关性分析用Mantel—Haenszel．X^2检验。结果氟牙症患病率为53．5％，氟牙症指数为1．09，属中度流行地区；饮用水源氟化物含量不高（0．03～0．34mg／L），当地常用茶叶的氟化物含量高于内地（t=3．445，P〈0．05），氟牙症的发生与饮用酥油茶呈高度正相关（X^2MH=9．865，P〈0．01；OR=2．065，P〈0．01）。结论7岁前长期大量食用酥油茶是当地藏族学生氟牙症流行的主要病因，即属于砖茶型氟牙症；建议调整饮食结构，改进茶叶品质，减少酥油茶摄入量，以降低氟牙症的患病率。     

Reasons for choosing dentistry as a career: a study involving male and female first-year students in Peru

The aim of this study was to compare the reported reasons to choose dentistry as a career between Peruvian male and female first-year students. A self-completion questionnaire was administered to 75 first-year students registered at the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. The questionnaire comprised 16 items grouped into four categories (economic, professional, vocational and personal background). Students rated the importance of each item for selecting dentistry as a career on a Likert-type scale of five points. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare groups and item scores by gender. A male/female proportion of 1/2.1 was found in the pool of participating students. When group and item scores were compared between genders, statistically significant differences were only found for vocational and personal background reasons (P < 0.05); however, the three reasons that obtained higher scores for each gender were found to be different. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to increase the sample, by extending the study and evaluating not only reasons for choosing dentistry, but also other factors that may influence the decision.