Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Esra Özgöçmen Tula; Merve Alkış

doi:10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261

Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background:Stress among dental students can arise from multiple factors. High stress levels during clinical pediatric dentistry training may negatively impact students’ performance, confidence, and quality of patient care, making this an important issue for both education and clinical practice. To evaluate stress levels and associated factors among undergraduate dental students during pediatric dentistry clinical practice using the Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale (PPSS). Methods:This study was conducted with 272 4th- and 5th-year dental students from Bursa Uludağ University and Uşak University. Participants completed an online questionnaire including demographic characteristics and the PPSS. The groups were compared in terms of stressors. Data analysis included Independent Samples t-test or Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman correlation, and binary logistic regression (p<0.05). Results:Of the participants, 59.2% were female and 40.8% were male. Female students demonstrated significantly higher stress scores across all PPSS domains and total scores (p<0.001). Comparison by academic year revealed no significant differences in mean total stress scores (p=0.777). Students whose first choice was not dentistry reported higher complication-related (p=0.006) and total stress scores (p=0.022). Female were 3.4 times more likely to experience high stress than male (OR=3.37, 95% CI [1.56–7.28], p=0.002). All PPSS domains were positively correlated with total stress. Conclusion:In pediatric dentistry practice, factors such as gender, first career choice, child and parent behaviors, and the likelihood of complications cause varying levels of stress among students. Keywords Pediatric dentistry, stress, Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale (PPSS)

Keywords

Supporting Institution

The authors declare that there are no fundings regarding the publication of this article.

Ethical Statement

All study procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee, and the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee of Faculty of Medicine, Bursa Uludağ University, Bursa, Türkiye (Approval Number: 2025/786/14-5).

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Paedodontics

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Esra Özgöçmen Tula ^*
0000-0002-8136-082X
Türkiye

Merve Alkış
0000-0001-5206-6675
Türkiye

Publication Date

August 24, 2026

Submission Date

October 16, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 28, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 13 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA52US22GL

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Özgöçmen Tula, E., & Alkış, M. (2026). Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Selcuk Dental Journal, 13(2), 172-177. https://doi.org/10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261

AMA

1.Özgöçmen Tula E, Alkış M. Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Selcuk Dent J. 2026;13(2):172-177. doi:10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261

Chicago

Özgöçmen Tula, Esra, and Merve Alkış. 2026. “Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students With Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study”. Selcuk Dental Journal 13 (2): 172-77. https://doi.org/10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261.

EndNote

Özgöçmen Tula E, Alkış M (August 1, 2026) Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Selcuk Dental Journal 13 2 172–177.

IEEE

[1]E. Özgöçmen Tula and M. Alkış, “Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study”, Selcuk Dent J, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 172–177, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261.

ISNAD

Özgöçmen Tula, Esra - Alkış, Merve. “Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students With Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study”. Selcuk Dental Journal 13/2 (August 1, 2026): 172-177. https://doi.org/10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261.

JAMA

1.Özgöçmen Tula E, Alkış M. Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Selcuk Dent J. 2026;13:172–177.

MLA

Özgöçmen Tula, Esra, and Merve Alkış. “Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students With Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study”. Selcuk Dental Journal, vol. 13, no. 2, Aug. 2026, pp. 172-7, doi:10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261.

Vancouver

1.Esra Özgöçmen Tula, Merve Alkış. Investigation of Stress Factors and Stress Levels of Dentistry Students with Pedodontics Practice Stress Scale: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Selcuk Dent J. 2026 Aug. 1;13(2):172-7. doi:10.15311/selcukdentj.1803261