Comparative evaluation of factors affecting dental students’ stress during clinical courses of root canal therapy in Esfahan Faculty of Dentistry in the 2012-2013 educational year

Introduction: Dentistry is associated with high levels of stress as a result of financial issues, non-cooperative patients, stressful procedures, etc. Root canal therapy can potentially lead to high stress levels in dental students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and compare factors causing stress during both the pre-clinic and clinical courses. Materials & Methods: In this comparative-descriptive study, all the fifth- and sixth-year dental students in 2011-2012, a total of 125 students, were selected using the cluster sampling technique. In order to evaluate stress levels, a Likert scale questionnaire was designed. Data were analyzed with different descriptive methods using SPSS 19 (α = 0.05). Results: The maximum endodontics-related stress level was 58%. Improper behavior of professors in both the clinic (85%) and pre-clinic (92%) was the most important factor causing stress in students. insufficient lack of sufficient time for fulfilling the requirements was the most important factor causing stress in the pre-clinic, while the type and location of teeth were not as important. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, professors’ poor behavior in the clinic and pre-clinic, cutting the power supply of the dental unit at a certain time and lack of sufficient time for finishing the job in the pre-clinic affected students’ stress levels. Key words: Dental students, Education, Root canal therapy.