Year : 2024

Volume : Volume 15

Issue : Issue 4

Address for correspondence :
Monika Kumari
mr078242@gmail.com

Abstract

Background: Dental students are prone to academic stress, particularly freshers, due to the transitional nature of school to college life as well as increasing obligations, resulting in homesickness. Dental education is a highly complicated, demanding, and hard field with a distinct environment in which students are expected to develop academic and clinical competence as well as interpersonal abilities. Materials and Methods: The purpose of this institution-based cross-sectional study was to evaluate the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among dental undergraduates at a private dental college in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. The depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS) is a 42-item self-report tool that assesses the three connected negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress. Descriptive statistics such as Chi-square analysis and ANOVA were used. Results: The majority of research participants are 3rd year (24.7%), whereas the lowest percentages are 2nd year and intern students (16.3%). The Chi-square value of each year student shows significant differences in depression, anxiety, and stress whereas the mean score showed statistically significant differences in depression, anxiety and stress, and DASS, with a P = 0.042, 0.048, 0.025, and 0.031, respectively. Conclusion: In general, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent among dental professionals due to the nature of their job, which involves dealing with patients in a high-pressure environment. It is essential to identify and address these issues early on to provide the necessary support and treatment to dental professionals.