Self-Reported Confidence and Perceived Barriers in Raising Concerns Among Dental Students and Trainees in the Gulf...

Raising concerns is essential to patient safety and professionalism in healthcare. Dental students and trainees, however, may encounter unique challenges in voicing concerns within clinical training environments. This study explores self-reported confidence and perceived barriers in raising concerns among dental students and trainees across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

A cross-sectional, multicenter survey was distributed to dental students at five dental institutions across Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire assessed respondents' confidence in raising concerns, preferred reporting pathways, and perceived barriers. Descriptive statistics, including confidence intervals, were calculated for each item and the combined dataset. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) assessed variation by gender, year of study, and institution type.

A total of 363 respondents participated in the study. Approximately one-third of the respondents (31.4%, n = 114) reported having previously encountered situations requiring the raising of a concern, while 40.5% (n = 147) reported no such experience and 28.0% (n = 102) were unsure. Students reported greater confidence in raising patient safety concerns (e.g., infection control) than interpersonal issues (e.g., staff conduct). Confidence in reporting patient safety concerns was similarly high for clinical supervisors and peers, whereas for interpersonal concerns, students appeared more comfortable discussing issues with peers. Confidence varied significantly by gender, year of study, and institutional type (p < 0.05). The three most common barriers were "not wanting to cause trouble," "fear of conflict with staff or colleagues," and "concern about being perceived negatively." Respondents emphasized the need for confidential, approachable support systems and greater institutional clarity and responsiveness.

While the importance of raising concerns is widely recognized, students' confidence is influenced by individual and systemic factors. Establishing structured mentorship, transparent reporting processes, and psychological safety within dental education is critical for empowering students and promoting a culture of open communication. A regional, collaborative approach is required to create sustainable systems that support students in raising concerns confidently and responsibly. However, these findings are based on a non-probability sample and are specific to the GCC region, which may limit their generalizability to other contexts.