Burnout Syndrome Among Dental Students in Clinical Training: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Ecuador

Luis Chauca-Bajaña, Andrea Ordoñez Balladares, Ivonne Alison Carrión Bustamante, Andrea Carolina Sánchez Salcedo, Juan Suárez-Palacios, Xavier Andrés Villao-León, Francisco Jorge Morán Peña, Rita Carolina Egüés Cevallos, Roberto Tolozano-Benites and Byron Velásquez Ron ()
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Luis Chauca-Bajaña: Dental Sciences, College Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Andrea Ordoñez Balladares: Dental Sciences, College Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Ivonne Alison Carrión Bustamante: Esthetic and Operative Dentistry, College Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Andrea Carolina Sánchez Salcedo: Oral Rehabilitation, College Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Juan Suárez-Palacios: Oral Rehabilitation, College Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Xavier Andrés Villao-León: Endodontics Oral Research, College of Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Francisco Jorge Morán Peña: Educational Informatics, College of Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Rita Carolina Egüés Cevallos: Educational Informatics, College of Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador
Roberto Tolozano-Benites: Pedagogical Sciences Education, Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador, Durán 092406, Ecuador
Byron Velásquez Ron: Dental Prosthesis Department Research, College Dentistry, University of the Americas, UDLA. Av, Colon y 6 de diciembre, Campus Colón, Quito 170102, Ecuador

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Burnout syndrome, caused by chronic unmanaged stress, is common among health sciences students, and dental students in clinical training are particularly vulnerable due to the intense cognitive, emotional, and practical demands. This multicenter cross-sectional study assessed burnout and related factors in 312 students in their 8th–10th semesters at three Ecuadorian universities using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a questionnaire on physical and emotional symptoms. High emotional exhaustion affected 79.5% of students, high depersonalization 54.5%, and low personal accomplishment 11.5%, with an overall burnout prevalence of 8.01%. No statistically significant associations were found with university or academic semester, although students studying or working more than 30 h per week showed a non-significant trend toward higher risk (OR = 3.39; p = 0.208), and the model’s predictive capacity was low (AUC = 0.645). Frequently reported physical symptoms included lower back pain (41.35%), neck pain (35.9%), and headaches (30.45%). These findings reveal that burnout, often accompanied by physical discomfort, affects a significant number of dental students, highlighting the need for institutional strategies such as psychological support and curricular adjustments to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Keywords: burnout syndrome; dental students; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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