Are Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Endodontic Infections Among Undergraduate Dental Students Consistent With Current Guidelines? A Multinational Cross-Sectional Study
European Journal of Dental Education, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1111/eje.70233
- Dergi Adı: European Journal of Dental Education
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Public Affairs Index, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: antibiotic prescribing, antimicrobial stewardship, dental education, endodontic infections, multinational study, undergraduate dental students
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Aim: Appropriate antibiotic prescribing is a core competency in dental education. This study evaluated dental students' knowledge, antibiotic selection patterns, and adherence to international guidelines for the management of endodontic infections. Materials and Methods: An online survey was administered to students in their final two clinical years across 19 countries. Three clinical scenarios were evaluated: first-line antibiotic choice, second-line when the first choice is ineffective, and drug of choice for penicillin-allergic patients. Participants reported drug, dose, frequency, and duration. Guideline adherence was quantified using a 0–5 scoring system based on European Society of Endodontology and American Association of Endodontists recommendations. Mixed-effects linear regression models with country as a random effect were used to identify predictors of guideline-concordant prescribing. Results: A total of 4226 responses were analysed. Amoxicillin was the most frequently selected first-line antibiotic (57.6%), followed by amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (18.4%), with marked between-country variation; adjusted first-choice concordance was highest in Colombia (4.57) and lowest in Bangladesh (2.49). For second-line therapy, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid predominated (33.2%), with the highest adherence in Ecuador (3.40) and the lowest in Switzerland (2.15). In penicillin-allergic patients, clindamycin was most commonly selected (47.8%), but allergy-specific concordance varied widely, ranging from 3.52 in Colombia to 1.06 in India. Age positively predicted second-line concordance, while lower allergy-specific concordance was observed among second-year students and males. Conclusions: Marked variability and frequent deviations from guideline-recommended prescribing highlight persistent educational gaps. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship training within undergraduate dental curricula is warranted.