Difficulties encountered by dental students studying public health dentistry: a cross-sectional study

Background: Students are among the main participants in the dental education process since they are the direct beneficiaries of this process and fund it either directly or indirectly. Their assessment is one of the vital elements in educational process. The problems faced by them should be properly addressed and solved.
Aim: The present study aimed to address the difficulties encountered by dental students in studying Public Health Dentistry.
Methods and material: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on dental students in different dental colleges of northern states of India. The knowledge of the students in the field of Public Health Dentistry (PHD) was gauged and their problems were logged using a closed-ended questionnaire. The data recorded was subjected to statistical analysis using chi-square test.
Results: Of the total 460 students, 90.4% and 88.7% knew about fluorides with its mechanism of action and pit and fissure sealants respectively but 73.7% and 84.6% respectively had not done it clinically on the patient. The results of this study revealed that though the dental students have satisfactory knowledge of this concerned discipline of dentistry, there is still a gap between their theoretical and clinical aspects.
Conclusion: The study identified the problems of dental students in their current curriculum in the subject of PHD. By making few changes in the present schedule, it can be made more interesting and thorough for the future aspirants.