Elsayed M. A., Pertek Hatipoğlu F., Taha N., Farook M. S., Alshehadat S., Fernández‐Grisales R., ...More
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, no.Online first, pp.1-7, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
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Publication Type:
Article / Article
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Publication Date:
2026
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Doi Number:
10.1111/eje.70233
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Journal Name:
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION
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Journal Indexes:
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), Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), EMBASE, EBSCO Education Source, MEDLINE, Public Affairs Index
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Page Numbers:
pp.1-7
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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Affiliated:
Yes
Abstract
ABSTRACT
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.