Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty

Kübra Bilge; İrem İpek

doi:10.61139/ijdor.1718968

Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to assess the levels of future-related anxiety and the motivations for specialization among 4th and 5th year dental students at Fırat University Faculty of Dentistry. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 143 dental students using a 20-item structured questionnaire. The survey included items addressing demographics, perceived adequacy of dental education, concerns about post-graduation employment, and intentions regarding the Dental Specialty Examination (DSE). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0, with chi-square tests employed for categorical comparisons (p < 0.05). Results: A majority of students (66.4%) expressed concern about securing employment after graduation, and 57.3% found their undergraduate education insufficient. Furthermore, 74.1% reported feeling unprepared for the DSE. Despite these concerns, 76.2% intended to take the exam, driven mainly by professional development (35%) and financial incentives (27.3%). Conclusion: The results indicate substantial levels of future-related anxiety among dental students, primarily stemming from perceived inadequacies in clinical training and uncertainty about career prospects. These findings highlight the need to strengthen dental education and provide academic and psychosocial support to better prepare students for professional challenges.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval was obtained from the Non-Interventional Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine at Fırat University (Approval No: 2024/12-03).

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Dentistry (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Kübra Bilge ^*
0000-0002-4323-9316
Türkiye

İrem İpek
0000-0002-3542-7122
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 31, 2025

Submission Date

June 13, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 9, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 5 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1718968

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA65PR76RP

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Bilge, K., & İpek, İ. (2025). Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research, 5(3), 119-124. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1718968

AMA

1.Bilge K, İpek İ. Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2025;5(3):119-124. doi:10.61139/ijdor.1718968

Chicago

Bilge, Kübra, and İrem İpek. 2025. “Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 5 (3): 119-24. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1718968.

EndNote

Bilge K, İpek İ (December 1, 2025) Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 5 3 119–124.

IEEE

[1]K. Bilge and İ. İpek, “Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty”, HRU Int J Dent Oral Res, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 119–124, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.61139/ijdor.1718968.

ISNAD

Bilge, Kübra - İpek, İrem. “Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 5/3 (December 1, 2025): 119-124. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1718968.

JAMA

1.Bilge K, İpek İ. Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2025;5:119–124.

MLA

Bilge, Kübra, and İrem İpek. “Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research, vol. 5, no. 3, Dec. 2025, pp. 119-24, doi:10.61139/ijdor.1718968.

Vancouver

1.Kübra Bilge, İrem İpek. Evaluation of Future Anxiety Levels and Specialization Motivation of 4th and 5th Year Students of Dentistry Faculty. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2025 Dec. 1;5(3):119-24. doi:10.61139/ijdor.1718968