Integrating Sustainability Into Dental Education: Students' Knowledge, Behaviours, and Curriculum Perspectives

The healthcare sector contributes approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and dentistry represents a notable environmental burden due to high energy consumption, material use, and medical waste generation. This study aimed to evaluate dental students' awareness, attitudes, and perceptions regarding environmental sustainability and to assess the extent to which sustainability is integrated into the dental curriculum.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2025 at the Faculty of Dentistry of İnönü University, Türkiye. A total of 600 valid questionnaires were obtained from dental students across all academic years. Data were collected using a 28-item questionnaire developed based on current literature and expert evaluation (content validity index = 0.88; Cronbach's α = 0.87). Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and binary logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0.

Overall, 82% of students reported being familiar with the concept of sustainability; however, only 28% indicated that sustainability topics were included in their formal education. Students demonstrated generally positive attitudes towards environmentally sustainable dental practises, particularly regarding recycling, energy conservation, and resource management. Significant differences were observed according to gender and year of study in sustainability awareness and perceptions of curriculum integration (p < 0.05).

Although dental students display positive attitudes towards environmental sustainability, the findings suggest that sustainability is not systematically integrated into the dental curriculum. Integrating sustainability into dental education through clearly defined learning outcomes and structured curriculum development may contribute to the training of environmentally responsible oral healthcare professionals.