Assessment of Educational Environment and its Association with Burnout and Mental Health among the Dental Students of Majmaah University: A Pilot Study

Introduction: The educational environment is crucial to the wellbeing of students, particularly in high-stress fields like dentistry, where academic and clinical pressures can significantly affect mental health. In Saudi Arabia, the high prevalence of psychological distress among dental students necessitates an understanding of the underlying causes. Aim: To analyse dental students’ perceptions of their educational environment in the College of Dentistry, Saudi Arabia and its impact on mental health, particularly anxiety and burnout. Materials and Methods: This pilot study was conducted in September 2024, involving 50 undergraduate dental students from College of Dentistry, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire assessed the perception of the educational environment. The Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale and Maslach’s Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) measured levels of anxiety and burnout. Statistical data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0, with stratification based on gender and residence. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and linear regression were applied to evaluate the relationship between the study variables. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The average age of the participants was 22.96±2.9 years (range: 19-26 years). The overall mean DREEM score was 124.82/200, with Students’ Perception of Teachers (SPT) scoring the highest (71.59%). Female students had a significantly more positive perception of teachers than male students. No significant correlation was found between Professional Efficacy (PE) and GAD-7 scores (r=0.257), but other parameters, such as scores for DREEM domains, MBI dimensions and GAD-7, showed significant positive correlations. All the DREEM domains significantly predicted anxiety and burnout levels. Conclusion: Overall, the undergraduate dental students of Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia, had a generally favourable perception of their educational environment. However, addressing emotional stressors and enhancing peer relationships, curriculum design and the academic atmosphere may help reduce burnout and anxiety.