Are Future Dentists Ready for Aesthetics?

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, experience, awareness, and motivation of 4th- and 5th-year dental students regarding anterior aesthetic restorations. Methods: This study was approved by the Selçuk University Faculty of Dentistry Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee. In this study, a Google Form survey consisting of a total of 31 questions was prepared. Invitations were sent to 4th and 5th-year students from 9 different dentistry faculties via e-mail and social media. A total of 240 participants from all faculties responded to the survey study. The personal information of the participants was not recorded, and the data were analyzed anonymously. Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U and T tests were used for statistical analysis of the survey results (p0.05). A T-test was conducted to analyze the difference in competency levels between 4th and 5th-year dental students. According to the test results, no statistically significant difference was observed between the competency levels of 4th and 5th-year students (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study reveals that 4th- and 5th-year dental students feel inadequately prepared for anterior aesthetic restorations and seek more opportunities for practical training. Expanding this preliminary study with more extensive participation and collaboration across other dental faculties is recommended. Keywords: Smile design, undergraduate education in dentistry, anterior restoration