Aggravating factor for course requirement stressor among dental students

Abstract

Objective: To determine the main factor that can aggravate course requirement stressor among dental students at College of Dentistry, King Saud University. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in College of Dentistry in King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This study included all undergraduate students, who finished their training in the clinics in 2012–2013. The data were collected using a paper-based questionnaire that utilized a 5-Likert scale. Results: The overall response was 80.4% (283/352). Students perceived that stress scale was more than moderate (6.5–7.6). Third-year students in operative dentistry course reported the aggravating factor (s) of course requirement stressor are “number of clinical requirements” and “availability of suitable patients” (57.5%) and in periodontics is “availability of suitable patients” (50.5%). Fourth-year students in removable prosthodontics reported the aggravating factor(s) is “availability of suitable patients” (56.3%), in fixed prosthodontics are “availability of well-equipped dental clinics” and “fluency of laboratory work” (52.4%), in operative dentistry is “number of clinical requirements” (61.3%), in periodontics are “number of clinical requirements” and “availability of well-equipped dental clinics” (48.5%), and in endodontics is “availability of well-equipped dental clinics” (53.3%). Fifth-year students in removable prosthodontics reported the aggravating factor(s) is fluency of laboratory work (60.9%), in fixed prosthodontics are “availability of well-equipped dental clinics” (60%) and “fluency of laboratory work” (60%), and in comprehensive dental clinic are “availability of suitable patients” and “fluency of laboratory work” (62.7%). Conclusions: Students reported that common aggravating factors for course requirement stressor are “number of clinical requirements,” “availability of suitable patients,” “availability of well-equipped dental clinics,” and “fluency of laboratory work.”