Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Undergraduate Dental Students During Viva and Case Presentation Oral Examinations Using the DASS-21 Scale.

INTRODUCTION

Stress among dental students is mainly driven by the demanding nature of dental education which is exaggerated during exams and specifically final year oral examinations.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the emotional status (depression, anxiety, and stress) of fifth-year dental students undergoing two forms of oral examinations: conventional viva (CV) and case presentation (CP) based examinations using a DASS-21 scale, and to explore the effects of gender, origin, accommodation, grade point average, and satisfaction with friends and college on the students' DASS-21 scores within each group.

METHODS

Three hundred-thirty fifth-year students did one CP for a clinical case they completed in removable prosthodontics, and also attended a viva exam as a requirement for graduation. Then, an online survey, originated from the DASS-21 survey, was sent to all fifth-year dental students one week after completing both exams.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-nine students completed the survey with a response rate of 38%. The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in the CV group was 22.37%, 21.49%, 19.05% and 24.70%, 24.41%, 21.75% in the CP group, respectively. The severity levels among undergraduate dental students were as follows: moderate levels of depression, moderate to severe levels of anxiety, and normal levels of stress which were not relevant to the oral examination type. High achieving students showed overall higher scores in both study groups, while females showed higher depression scores in the CP group.

CONCLUSION

Dental students at our institution were experiencing increased levels of depression and anxiety in both forms of oral examinations. Sources of depression and anxiety should be outlined and different support strategies should be implemented to help students overcome emotional distress during oral exams.