Dental Students’ Attitudes Toward Biochemistry Education Across Academic Years: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate dental students’ attitudes toward biochemistry education. The primary research question was whether overall attitude scores differed according to academic year and gender; secondary questions addressed students’ perceptions of clinical relevance, instructional content, and consideration of an academic career in biochemistry. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 230 undergraduate dental students enrolled in all academic years (1st–5th year) at a faculty of dentistry in Türkiye. Data were collected using a 14-item Likert-type questionnaire. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. As the data were not normally distributed, non-parametric statistical tests were applied to compare groups according to gender and academic year. The questionnaire demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.931). The overall mean attitude score was 3.51 ± 0.86, indicating a moderate-to-high positive attitude toward biochemistry. No statistically significant differences were observed between female and male students in overall or item-level scores (p > 0.05). Attitude scores differed significantly across academic years (p < 0.001) and were lowest among fifth-year students. A majority of participants favored greater inclusion of clinical examples and practical content. Only 9.2% agreed or strongly agreed that they were considering an academic career in biochemistry. Dental students generally reported favorable attitudes toward biochemistry; however, lower scores among senior students indicate differences in perceptions across academic years.