Environmental sustainability in dental education in Jordan: a cross-sectional survey of dental students and educators

BACKGROUND: Environmental sustainability (ES) refers to maintaining natural systems through responsible resource use, waste reduction, and minimizing environmental impact without compromising the needs of future generations. Evidence on dental students' and educators' knowledge of ES, attitudes toward it, and its integration into dental curricula remains limited. In Jordan, increasing environmental challenges highlight the need for context-specific evidence. This study aimed to assess familiarity, attitudes, perceived curricular integration, and barriers related to ES among undergraduate dental students and educators in Jordan. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and August 2025 among undergraduate dental students and educators at Jordan University of Science and Technology and the University of Jordan. The questionnaire included items on familiarity, attitudes, perceived relevance, priority learning outcomes, and barriers. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and comparative analyses among students based on institution and academic year were performed using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, while educators' responses were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: A total of 663 students and 35 educators participated. Most students (78.3%) and educators (68.6%) reported limited familiarity with ES in dentistry. Despite this, strong support for curricular integration was observed. The majority of students (87.2%) and educators (65.7%) acknowledged the importance of ES in dentistry. Over 80% of students expressed interest in learning more. Educators identified lack of priority, knowledge, and institutional support as primary barriers. Foundational knowledge and professional responsibility themes were prioritized as key learning outcomes. Comparative analyses showed minimal institutional differences, although some variation by academic year was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Students and educators reported limited awareness of formal ES integration in the dental curricula; however, both students and educators demonstrated strong support for its integration. Structural barriers, rather than resistance to the concept, appear to limit implementation. These findings highlight the need for coordinated curricular strategies to support sustainability education within dental programs.