To assess the associations between age and gender with professional ambitions and burnout among Chinese dental undergraduates.
Approach:
Survey Administration: An online survey was conducted in December 2025 with 240 undergraduate dental students to assess career selection, specialization intentions, and burnout using the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-12).
Statistical Analysis: Chi-squared tests examined career aspirations by age and gender, while independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA assessed burnout scores.
Key Findings:
Females reported more frequently than males that men have advantages in career progression.
Younger participants and females showed a preference for Orthodontics and Endodontics, while older participants and males preferred Prosthodontics and Oral surgery.
Burnout scores for overload and neglect were higher in older students, with no significant age variation in lack of development.
Limitations:
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences.
The sample size may not represent all dental undergraduates in China.
