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Deeb GR et al. Eur J Dent Educ 2017; 10.1111/eje.12259

In this study, third- and fourth-year dental students and first- and second-year hygiene students completed a Patient Health Questionnaire and an abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory as measures of depressive symptoms/suicidality and burnout respectively. Forty percent of the 119 dental students and 38% of the 32 dental hygiene students met the criteria for burnout. No differences were found between years or programmes. Nine percent of all students were above the cut-off for moderate depressive symptoms, with no difference between the years. Six precent of dental and 9% of the dental hygiene students were above the cut-off for clinically significant suicidal ideation, with no statistical differences between programmes. There were no differences noted in the dental students based on gender. Depression was significantly associated with all three subscales of burnout. Suicidal ideation was only significantly related to the lack of personal accomplishment subscale of burnout. The authors recommend the need for preventive measures for such affective states in dental and hygiene training programmes.