The burden of oral diseases in India is still considerable, despite an increase in manpower, which necessitates to formulate a plan for managing more effectively the minimum resources available. Paradigm shift is thus mandatory to approach dentistry from a more practical point of view than theoretically. The aim of this study was to analyze postgraduate students’ ratings of confidence in meeting clinical scenarios, and to distinguish the potential similarities or differences among them across various disciplines in performing general dental procedures. A questionnaire that assessed the confidence level of postgraduate students in performing different general dental procedures was used in the study. The participants attended different grades of graduation and came from varying disciplines. Students were asked to rate their self credence level in carrying out various dental procedures on a four-point scale. A total of 129 dental postgraduate students participated in the survey. One way ANOVA between the various disciplines and various general dental procedures showed a significant difference in almost all groups, with p <0.001. Within the limitation of this study, it can be concluded that both Endodontic and Pedodontic postgraduate students had a better confidence level than other specialty postgraduates, which can be attributed to the fact that they routinely perform most of the General Dental procedures. The level of confidence also decreases as postgraduates of other specialities approach their final year, possibly because they are more focused towards their specialties.
Keywords:- competence
- confidence
- general dental procedures
- postgraduate students