Empathy among Undergraduates and Post Graduates Clinical Dental Students of Lahore Medical and Dental College

OBJECTIVE: To assess the gender differences and to measure the empathy scores in undergraduates (3rd, 4th year, Interns) and post graduates clinical dental students of Lahore Medical and Dental College. METHODOLOGY: STUDY DESIGN: Quantitative, Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study. TARGET POPULATION: 3rd & 4th year BDS students, House officers and Dental Post graduates at Lahore Medical and Dental College, who fulfill the inclusion criteria. SAMPLE SIZE: 180 students responded out of 230. DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT: Self-reported questionnaire: Jefferson Empathy Scale of Health Care Provider- Student's Version. RESULTS: Results indicated that the female empathy score was significantly higher as compared to male students (p-value = 0.041). The postgraduates shows highest mean empathy level (88.1 ± 11.9) and 4th year students (86.1 ± 10.2) followed by 3rd year students. Post hoc Tukey test revealed that that the mean empathy score of house officers (80.7 ± 9.0) was significantly lower as compared to 4th year students (86.1 ± 10.2) (p-value = 0.025).The skills of interpersonal caring and empathy can low the dental fear, increase the adherence and outcomes of the treatment, and there will be more patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Empathy-related teaching exercises ('taught' by peer assisted learning, role-playing, documentaries making and interviewing skills) must be implemented among the dental students to endorse the growth of empathy and more time should be spend on history taking. KEYWORDS: Empathy, Dental, Students, Education, Jafferson Scale Of empathy (JSPE-HPS)