Dental students’ attitudes and perspectives on communicating with paediatric patients and their parents

This study underscores the importance of communication training in paediatric dentistry. While students maintained positive attitudes, they perceived challenges when interacting with children up to age three, highlighting the need for targeted training to address the unique challenges of interacting with younger patients. A comprehensive and longitudinal approach in communication skills education, incorporating diverse learning methods, is essential to further strengthen students' confidence and better prepare them for dental paediatric patient interactions. By fostering these skills throughout dental education, institutions can contribute to improving the quality of paediatric dental care and ensuring better patient outcomes.