Anxiety, stress, and depression levels among dental students: gender, age, and stage of dental education related

Dental students may experience psychological disturbance due to the highly stressful dental education process, with no consensus regarding the influence of age, gender, and stage of education. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify sources of stressors that may influence the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by dental students and examine them based on gender, age, and stage of dental education. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the 2023 academic year with a total of 131 (male = 53, female = 78, mean age = 26.69, range = 22–33) undergraduate dental students. The psychological well-being was assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the various sources of stress were evaluated using the Dental Environment Stress (DES) questionnaire. The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 52%, 57%, and 55%, respectively. Students in their fifth year (transition between preclinical and clinical years) showed higher depression symptoms compared to students in their fourth or sixth years (p = 0.039). No statistically significant differences were found between gender (males or females) and age regarding DASS symptoms (p > 0.540). The stressors identified as most stressful by all the students were related to academics (amount of classwork, examinations, and grades). The levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among dental students were relatively high. The depression levels among fifth-year students were the highest. Therefore, modifying the academic process to create a positive educational environment should be recommended.