Students' performance in clinics and self-perceived Confidence in performing Endodontic procedures: A correlation...

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Endodontics
• Medical Education

Background:

• Assessing dental students' confidence in endodontic procedures is crucial for effective training.
• Self-perceived confidence may not always align with actual clinical performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate undergraduate dental students' self-perceived confidence in endodontic procedures.
• To correlate this confidence with their actual performance in endodontic clinics.

Main Methods:

• A correlational study involving fifth-year dental students at Qassim University.
• Utilized the Endodontic Self-Perceived Confidence Scale (ESCS) and clinical performance scores.
• Data analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, t-tests, and Pearson correlation.

Main Results:

• Students reported highest confidence in rubber dam isolation and lowest in treating immature apices.
• Male students had higher self-confidence scores, while female students achieved higher clinical scores.
• No significant correlation was found between self-perceived confidence and clinical performance.

Conclusions:

• Self-assessment of confidence may not be a reliable indicator of endodontic clinical skills in dental students.
• Training in self-assessment techniques is recommended for lifelong learning.
• Supportive clinical environments are essential for addressing student shortcomings.