Metaphorical perceptions of dental students toward dental education: a cross-sectional study from Türkiye

This study highlights the influence of personality types and stress levels on dental students' perceptions of their education. Metaphor analysis proved to be an effective tool for identifying these perceptions. The most frequently reported category was 'challenging process-race'. A significant association was found between students' metaphorical categories and their gender and academic level. However, no significant relationships were observed between metaphor categories and occupational preference, stress levels, and personality types.