Dr. S. Gopi krishna*
Dr. V. Karthika
Dr. M. Kathuri
Dr. G. Hariprasath
Dr. Selvakumar
As students progress from preclinical labs to actual patient care throughout the clinical years, dental education gets more difficult. While the final year necessitates thorough case management and clinical expertise, the third year introduces fundamental clinical courses like conservative dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics. It can be very stressful to juggle theory classes, clinical posts, and case submissions. Students also struggle with time limits, faculty monitoring, and patient participation. It is essential to comprehend these difficulties in order to enhance clinical scheduling, teaching strategies, and student mental health support networks.
AIMS
1. To evaluate third- and final-year dentistry students' everyday clinical, intellectual, and psychological challenges. 2. To compare the two groups' levels of burnout and stress.3. To offer methods for successfully striking a balance between theoretical and clinical elements.
MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES
Population of Study
Through random sampling, a total of 200 participants from our dental institution, 100 of whom were third-year students and 100 of whom were final-year students.
Data Gathering Instrument
Theoretical preparation and assessment stress
Faculty interaction & peer support
Mental and physical fatigue
Clinical workload & patient management
Questions
How challenging do you find it to balance theory and clinical work?
How often do you find it hard to complete case requirements or quotas?
Do you get enough clinical exposure to different dental cases?
How often do you feel a lack of confidence before performing clinical procedures?
How satisfied are you with the level of supervision and guidance from faculty during clinics?
How often do you face difficulty in getting patients for clinical work?
How challenging is it to manage patient cooperation during treatment?
Do you feel confident in managing emergency situations during clinical practice?
How often do you experience difficulty completing record work or documentation?
How do you rate your time management between academics and clinics?
How often do you feel stressed due to academic or clinical workload?
How often do you experience burnout or fatigue from clinical duties?
How often do you feel anxious about your clinical performance or evaluations?
What are your main sources of stress?
How difficult is it for you to maintain a healthy study-life balance during clinical postings?
What is the biggest challenge you face in your daily dental student life?
RESULTS
10.5281/zenodo.17667857