An exploration of the attitudes, personality and performance of dental students

This study investigates (1) the behavioural patterns, performance and attitudes to dentistry and (2) the personality traits, in male and female dental students (n = 219) studying at Cardiff Dental School. The first part deals with the results of a questionnaire investigating aspects of the students' training course, interests in various fields of dentistry, the level of frustration, anxiety and fatigue felt, the overall feelings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction produced in their dental course, their reasons for entering dentistry and their hopes for a future career, as well as their various leisure and spare-time activities. The second part examines the personality traits of clinical stage students (n = 123) based on Cattell's personality questionnaire, the 16 PFQ form C. The results were correlated with students' 'A' level grades, interview grades, clinical examination results and responses to some items of the general questionnaire. It was possible to identify certain characteristics in dental students which implied likely success in their dental examinations. This may have a useful implication for the initial selection of those wishing to practise dentistry.