Perceived stress among dental students and the role of parental influence in career decision-making.

Objectives: The current study aimed to assess perceived stress levels among dental students at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to explore the influence of parental roles in their decision to pursue dentistry as a potential source of social stress.

Methods: This cross-sectional study employed the validated Dental Environmental Stress (DES) Scale to evaluate perceived stress, and incorporated additional questions to fulfill the research aim. We approached all undergraduate dental students at King Saud University, both male and female, across all academic years, using online channels (such as emails, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc.