Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Challenges Faced by Undergraduate Dental Students During Root Canal Treatment (RCT) and the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients After RCT

Background and Objectives: This study examined dental students' challenges with root canal treatment (RCT). It also assessed patients' perceptions of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Materials and Methods: The study utilized three prevalidated questionnaires. One questionnaire was administered to dental students to assess their challenges related to various aspects of RCT. Another questionnaire was distributed to patients, comparing demographic factors such as age and gender to the tooth type, pain scores before and after RCT, and socioeconomic status. The third questionnaire focused on patients' OHRQoL considering age, gender, tooth types, pain, and socioeconomic status using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 scale (OHIP-14). A total of 75 dental students filled out the survey, and patient-related questionnaires were filled out by 585 patients with the following demographics: age: young adults n = 385 (65.81%), middle-aged adults n = 200 (34.19%); gender: males n = 366 (62.56%), and females n = 219 (37.44%). Categorical data were analyzed using frequency and percentage. Chi-square tests were used for comparative analysis, and one-way ANOVA was used when more than two variables were present. A p-value of ≤0.05 was set as statistically significant. Results: Dental students perceived themselves as competent in performing RCT but faced difficulties with canal localization in middle-aged patients (p < 0.01) and in communicating with female patients (p = 0.009). There was a significant difference in preoperative (p = 0.007) and postoperative pain levels (p = 0.003) when comparing genders. Overall, there was a 30.60% reduction in pain levels. The OHIP-14 scale indicated high patient satisfaction (78.9%), with physical disability (26.16%) and psychological discomfort (23.33%) being the most affected domains. Among different variables, socioeconomic status was statistically significant, with patients of lower socioeconomic status reporting higher satisfaction levels (p = 0.02). No significant differences in OHRQoL were found based on age or gender. Conclusions: The OHRQoL was high among patients treated by dental students, with those with a low socioeconomic status being the most satisfied.