Perceived Confidence in Managing Medical Emergencies Among Dental Students: The Significance of Technical Knowledge and Emotional Intelligence

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the technical, practical and emotional factors associated with the self-reported confidence of dental students in managing medical emergencies and urgent situations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 students enrolled in the clinical courses of a public dentistry programme in Brazil. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, an instrument assessing preparation and experience with medical emergencies in dental practice, and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), validated for use in Brazil. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v.25.0, applying frequency distributions, Fisher's exact test and Student's t-test, with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Most students reported not feeling prepared to manage emergencies (82.0%), diagnose complications (61.0%) or administer injectable medications (91.0%). The mean emotional intelligence score was 5.06 ± 0.49. Perceived confidence was significantly higher among students who reported satisfactory technical and practical training, preparedness to diagnose emergencies and ability to administer injectable medications (p < 0.01). Students who considered themselves prepared to make diagnoses also demonstrated significantly higher emotional intelligence scores (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Dental students showed low perceived confidence in managing medical emergencies, a perception influenced by technical training, practical training and emotional intelligence. This study provides insight into determinants influencing dental students' confidence in managing medical emergencies, highlighting training and emotional intelligence as key factors.