Aim and background: Dentistry is a dynamic health profession offering clinical, academic, and research opportunities.Understanding how dental undergraduates perceive dentistry as a career helps in planning educational strategies and supporting future workforce development.This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dentistry as a career among undergraduate dental students in Davangere City.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 155 undergraduate dental students from two dental colleges in Davangere.A structured Google Forms questionnaire comprising 15 closed-ended questions and demographic variables was used.Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 31, and results with p ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results: Most students perceived dentistry as a flexible profession (73.6%) and believed in its long-term growth potential (94.84%).Awareness of postgraduate pathways was high (69.68%),with MDS being the most recognized program (90.1%).Passion for health care was the primary motivating factor (52.9%).A majority expressed confidence in achieving financial stability (72.26%) and succeeding in the profession (74.68%).While 23.87% frequently participated in professional development activities, 78.06% planned to pursue specializations.Conclusion: Undergraduate dental students showed an overall positive perception of dentistry as a career.Strengthening career guidance and mentorship during undergraduate training may help improve clarity regarding professional pathways and prospects.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
K et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: