Assessment of knowledge and attitude regarding stem cell regenerative dentistry amongst dental students

Abstract

Objectives: An emerging area of dentistry is regenerative and stem cell therapy. For these treatments to be successfully implemented in clinical practice, dentists’ perspectives and understanding of the principles are crucial, to assess the knowledge of dental students on the potential therapeutic application of stem cells, to assess the attitude of dental students for the acceptance of regenerative treatment modalities, and to determine whether further training in the area is necessary. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire on stem cell regenerative dentistry was distributed to 250 dental students of Private Dental College of Nagpur (Maharashtra), consisting of 17 questions on knowledge and attitudes toward regenerative therapy. The frequencies underwent a descriptive analysis. Results: The postgraduate students have adequate knowledge about stem cell regenerative therapy (95.6%) and they are enthusiastic for the acceptance of regenerative treatment. The majority of dentistry students had no prior training in stem cell therapy (75.60%), although many were eager to pursue more education in this area (67.60%). Conclusion: Most dental students are eager to pursue further training in regenerative dentistry and are supportive of the use of stem cells and regenerative dental therapies. Most participants thought that the subject should be covered in the undergraduate course.