A Cross-Cultural Examination of Common Root Canal Mistakes in Spanish Dental School

Introduction: Endodontic treatments require a high level of manual skill and operative independence, which is why preclinical training and the development of appropriate educational programs are vital. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of endodontic treatments and the influence of nationality on undergraduate academic performance at a Spanish dental school with a large proportion of international students. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on students of the Dental Therapeutic Pathology II subject at the Faculty of Dentistry in the 2022-2023 academic year. Two independent evaluators evaluated the quality of the treatments, and errors made during the treatment were identified. The chi-square test assessed the association between the errors committed in root canal treatment and nationality. Results: A total of 319 students were evaluated. The most frequent nationality was French (57.4%), followed by Italian (22.9%), Spanish (16.0%), and others (3.8%). Treatment of multiple ducts was the most performed (75.86%). The French carried out the highest number of treatments (73.22%). The most frequent error was identified in the design of the camera aperture. There were no statistically significant differences between the number of errors and nationality. Conclusions: A growing internationalization of students has been identified. Despite cultural and linguistic differences, a common tendency to make errors in the design of openings in endodontic treatments was observed in all groups. French students stood out with superior academic performance.