Fariba Abdal, Masoud Soltani, Maryam Kazempour, Mohammad Hossein Haddadi, Negin Neshanifard,
Volume 39, Issue 0 (3-2026)
Abstract
Background and Aims: The learning environment is defined as anything that happens in a classroom or educational group, faculty or university. Evaluation of dental students’ opinions about their learning environment, can help those responsible to provide solutions for improving the quality and quantity of clinical education. One of the tools that quantitatively measures the environment and atmosphere governing dental education is DSLES (Dental Student Learning Environment Survey). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the educational environment of the Ilam School of Dentistry based on the DSLES questionnaire.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted on 114, clinical and pre-clinical students of the Ilam School of Dentistry were enrolled in the study in 2025. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 24). Total scores were analyzed using Student's
t-test and the significance level was set at p<0.05.
Results: The results showed that the educational environment of the dental school was in the medium to relatively desirable range in various dimensions, but none of the components reached the excellent level. The highest score was related to the "relationships between students" and the lowest score was related to the "flexibility of the educational program". "Relations between students" was the highest score among the components (p=0.002). Curriculum flexibility had the lowest score among the components (p=0.000). The results of the study indicated statistically significant differences between the preclinical and clinical students' perceptions of the educational environment (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The educational environment of the school of dentistry had a suitable basic structure but needed to be transformed. Focusing on increasing the flexibility of educational programs, strengthening responsiveness to students' needs (especially in the clinical period), and maintaining existing gender equity can lead to improving the overall quality of educational environment.
Vahid Herandi, Fahimeh Rashidi Maybodi, Fatemeh Karamad,
Volume 39, Issue 0 (3-2026)
Abstract
Background and Aims: Given the rapid growth of digital technologies in dentistry, assessing dentists’ awareness and attitudes toward this transformation is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness and attitudes of general dentists in Yazd-Iran toward digital dentistry in 2025.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 135 general dentists in Yazd-Iran were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected via an online questionnaire including demographic information and the questions related to awareness and attitude. Dat were analyzed using SPSS version 27 and the statistical analysis tests were Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Chi-square to examine the variables.
Results: A total of 59 men and 76 women with a mean age of 31.92 ± 7.87 years participated in the study. The mean knowledge score was 7.76 ± 2.77 out of 12. Higher knowledge and a more positive attitude were significantly associated with older age, longer work experience, and male gender (P<0.05). Overall, 74.1% of participants were unaware of the well-known CAD/CAM system, 74.8% were unfamiliar with digital implant software, and 60% did not have adequate knowledge of correct application of intraoral scanners. While, 81.5% reported an overall positive attitude, only 11.9% considered their knowledge to be aligned with modern digital technologies.
Conclusion: General dentists demonstrated a moderate level of awareness and the existing knowledge gaps warrant greater attention in both undergraduate and continuing education. Enhancing knowledge among specific groups-such as younger, less experienced, and female dentists—is essential. Significant differences in attitudes were observed according to the age, gender, and years of professional experience.
Kosar Gharehkhan, Reza Faraji, Valiollah Arash, Hemmat Gholinia,
Volume 39, Issue 0 (3-2026)
Abstract
Background and Aims: Bolton ratios—the anterior and overall ratios—are important indicators for assessing the dental proportionality between the maxilla and mandible, playing a crucial role in achieving ideal occlusion and successful orthodontic outcomes. Given individual variations in facial growth patterns and their potential influence on these ratios, the present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between Bolton ratios and vertical skeletal patterns in the population from northern Iran, as well as to investigate the effect of gender on these ratios.
Materials and Methods: In this observational-analytical study, 173 Class I orthodontic patients
(121 females and 52 males) with a mean age of 16.02 ± 4.51 years were evaluated. Based on the vertical facial pattern using the Jarabak index, the subjects were categorized into three groups: short face (n=52), normal face (n=67), and long face (n=54). The anterior and overall Bolton ratios, and overbite were measured from dental casts. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, ANOVA, t-test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS ver. 26, with a significance level set at 0.05.
Results: No statistically significant differences were found in the anterior and overall Bolton ratios among the three vertical facial groups (P=0.062 and P=0.36, respectively) or between genders (P=0.53 and P=0.42, respectively). In contrast, the mean overbite significantly differed among the groups (P<0.001). Comparison of the anterior (79.16 ± 3.88%) and overall (90.09 ± 6.89%) Bolton ratios with the original Bolton standards revealed statistically significant differences (P=0.001 and P=0.02, respectively).
Conclusion: According to the findings, neither the vertical skeletal pattern nor gender had a significant effect on Bolton ratios. Nevertheless, the observed differences between the ratios in this northern Iranian population and the original Bolton standards underscore the importance of using population-specific norms in orthodontic treatment planning.
Niki , Meysam Mirzaie, Farida Abei, Shervin Masoudi Khalajifard, Hemmat Gholinia,
Volume 39, Issue 0 (3-2026)
Abstract
Background and Aims: Dental crowding is considered a significant factor in the development of malocclusion. Identifying the factors contributing to its formation aids in selecting appropriate treatment strategies and achieving stable post-treatment results. Since the relationship between jaw base length and this factor remains unclear, the objective of this study was to investigate the association between the jaw base length and dental crowding in individuals with different skeletal patterns in the sagittal dimensio in north of Iran.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 42 individuals from each skeletal class (I, II, and III) were enrolled based on crowding of >4 mm and ≤4 mm, selected through census from all patients referred to the Orthodontic Department of Babol Dental School (Iran) between 2011 and 2025. These samples were examined for the association between jaw base length in each skeletal classification and dental crowding. Lateral cephalograms from before treatment were used to measure the jaw base length. T-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc tests were employed to examine the desired associations, with a significance level of 0.05.
Results: A total of 126 patients (64.3% female) were evaluated. The relationship between jaw base length and crowding was not significant with respect to age, but it was reported as significant in females in the mandible (P=0.024). The present study indicated that the length of the maxillary and mandibular bases in the entire sample did not show a direct and significant correlation with the degree of dental crowding. However, subgroup analysis based on skeletal classes revealed significant differences in maxillary and mandibular base lengths between skeletal classes I, II, and III at both crowding levels (≤4 mm and >4 mm) (P=0.008, 0.011, and P<0.001, respectively). In the mandible, class III had the greatest length and class II had the shortest. In the maxilla, class III had the shortest length and class II had the greatest.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that sagittal skeletal patterns play a significant role in the dimensional changes of the jaws. Furthermore, in classes I and III, examining the mandibular base length is more important, as its reduction may be associated with more severe crowding. The maxillary and mandibular base lengths in the entire sample did not exhibit a direct and significant correlation with the severity of dental crowding. These variables were not significant with respect to age but were reported as significant in females in the mandible. Therefore, a single anatomical index like base length cannot solely predict the severity of crowding.
