Abstract
BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationship between clinical anxiety and self-confidence in dental education is crucial for enhancing students’ perceptions of professional competence and improving educational processes. This study aimed to examine the association between clinical anxiety and self-confidence experienced by dental students during clinical training. METHODS: A cross-sectional, multi-center survey was conducted among 4th- and 5th-year undergraduate dentistry students (n = 548) enrolled in faculties across Türkiye. Data were collected online using a structured three-part questionnaire comprising demographics, 10 Likert-type items assessing clinical anxiety, and 10 Likert-type items evaluating clinical self-confidence. Each item was rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics and Kendall’s Tau correlation, were employed to examine the associations between clinical anxiety and self-confidence variables, with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 548 students participated (57.7% [n = 316] 4th-year, 42.3% [n = 232] 5th-year), with 64.4% (n = 353) female. Clinical anxiety was most pronounced regarding fear of making mistakes (37.8%, n = 207), difficult cases (45.3%, n = 248), time pressure during treatment (43.8%, n = 240), and complex procedures such as endodontics, prosthodontics, and surgery (39.1%, n = 214). In contrast, self-confidence was higher in areas such as professional competence (50.9%, n = 279), patient management (52.6%, n = 288), rapid decision-making (51.3%, n = 281), and skill development through faculty feedback (56.4%, n = 309). Correlation analyses demonstrated a weak but statistically significant negative relationship between clinical anxiety and self-confidence (τ = −0.07 to − 0.34, p < 0.05), indicating that higher anxiety levels were associated with lower self-confidence across multiple domains. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that clinical anxiety is associated with lower levels of self-confidence among dental students; however, self-confidence tends to increase with greater experience and constructive feedback. The findings suggest that teaching technical skills alone is insufficient in clinical education programs; curricula should also incorporate interventions aimed at enhancing students’ psychological resilience, including stress management, mentorship, and psychosocial support.