Perceived causes of stress among a group of western Canadian dental students

Of the 111 students enrolled at the College that year 92 completed the survey (response rate = 83%). In general, female students reported higher stress levels than males. Higher stress levels were associated with living away from home, concerns about manual dexterity and the transition from pre-clinical to clinical studies. Additionally, students who enter dental school with higher debt loads (> 100,000) report high stress levels relating to finances. This study found that financial and clinical workloads result in high stress levels among dental students.