Abstract
Background Students at two universities in Saudi Arabia found endodontics or root canal treatment (RCT) difficult due to challenges in the procedures. Until now, there has been no evidence that Umm Al-Qura University students face difficulties when performing RCT. Therefore, this study aims to explore students' perceptions of the critical steps in RCT. Methods A survey was conducted among 146 dental students at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia to assess their perceptions and challenges during RCT. Demographic information was collected in the first section, while the second section focused on identifying difficulties encountered during endodontic treatment stages. All participants provided signed electronic consent, and the study was approved by the university's institutional review board. Chi-squared tests were used to analyze the results. Results In a survey of 123 students, 94 (76.2%) found the endodontic specialty acceptable compared to other dental specialties (P < 0.001). Eighty-eight (71.5%) found RCT on the molars difficult (P < 0.001). Most students, 104 (84.6%), chose to have more clinical training to improve their clinical endodontic skills, and 77 (62.6%) chose to increase the number of instructors per student in the clinic (P < 0.05). Difficulties in performing RCT on premolars and during root canal obturation were statistically correlated with the academic year of the student (P < 0.05). Conclusion Dental students often struggle when performing RCT on molars. Some difficulties during RCT are correlated with the academic year of the student. Finally, from the students' perspective, improving endodontic skills involves providing better clinical training opportunities and increasing instructor-to-student ratios.