Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Green Dentistry Among Dental Students in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose/Objectives Environmental sustainability has become an important priority in health care; however, its integration into dental education remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate dental students' knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices regarding green dentistry and environmental sustainability.Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study included 320 undergraduate dental students from all academic years at a dental school. Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire developed based on current literature. The survey consisted of four sections: demographics, knowledge (five items), attitudes (six items), and self-reported practices (five items). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and group comparisons were performed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests (alpha = 0.05).Results Students demonstrated generally positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability. Most participants agreed that dentists have an ethical responsibility to contribute to environmental protection (74.4%) and supported mandatory inclusion of sustainability in the curriculum (61.6%). However, knowledge levels were moderate (mean score: 39.5 +/- 22.2/100), and self-reported practice levels were limited. Only 2.8% of students had previously received formal education on green dentistry. Significant differences across academic years were observed for knowledge (p = 0.046) and practice scores (p = 0.001), whereas no significant differences were found according to age, sex, or prior training.Conclusions Although dental students demonstrate positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability, important gaps exist in knowledge and practical implementation. These findings indicate the need for structured and longitudinal integration of sustainability concepts into dental curricula to promote environmentally responsible clinical practice.