Sources of Stress among Israeli Dental Students

Abstract

Abstract One hundred four Hebrew University-Hadassah dental students, graduates of 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984, ranked a list of 17 potential stress sources in the dental school environment. The main self-reported stressors involved the specific method of teaching dentistry: the quantitative clinical requirements system, inconsistent and no positive feedback from faculty, and fear of falling behind or failing. Items related to time management occupied the middle section of the ranked stress items, while more “objective” and inherent components of dental training—understanding and covering the material taught, manual dexterity, new vocabulary, and treating adults—appeared at the bottom of the list. Treating children was ranked significantly more stressful than treating adults. The main reported stress items tended to increase over time: from fifth till sixth year, and from first till third trimester. Female dental students usually reported higher levels of stress sources than their male counterparts. Studies have shown that dentists as a social group are especially prone to the effects of stress. This pattern might be initiated in dental school. The methodology of the present survey is recommended as a valid system of analysis upon which future support programs can be developed.