Dental students and professionals generally hold favourable attitudes toward digital dentistry, yet their awareness and knowledge vary widely across specific tools and measurement methods, according to a systematic review published in BMC Medical Education. Synthesising evidence from eleven cross-sectional studies, researchers found that while familiarity with certain established systems is widespread, practical understanding remains uneven and actual clinical adoption cannot be inferred from positive attitudes alone.

Digital technologies, including computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM), intraoral scanners, cone-beam computed tomography, three-dimensional printing, and teledentistry, are increasingly integrated into dental education and clinical practice. Because the effective uptake of these systems relies partly on practitioner familiarity and acceptance, the review sought to consolidate existing evidence across three core domains: knowledge, awareness, and attitudes among both dental students and practicing clinicians.

Conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines and prospectively registered in PROSPERO under registration record CRD420241044061, the systematic search covered PubMed, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source via EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses from inception to June 2026. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality appraisal using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. From an initial pool of 1,826 identified records, 11 observational cross-sectional studies published between 2015 and 2025 satisfied all eligibility criteria.

The included investigations encompassed sample sizes ranging from 42 to 953 participants across seven nations: India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China, Libya, Pakistan, and Romania. Across multiple studies, respondents demonstrated high awareness of specific technologies, particularly CAD-CAM, cone-beam computed tomography, and intraoral scanning. However, awareness levels varied depending on the specific technology evaluated and the measurement approach applied. Knowledge findings also differed substantially across cohorts, with direct comparisons precluded by the diversity of survey instruments, scoring systems, and assessment thresholds used.

Attitudes toward digital dentistry were generally favourable across the reviewed cohorts, yet substantial operational challenges were routinely documented. Frequently cited barriers included equipment acquisition costs, lack of training, limited equipment availability, and technical limitations. In studies specifically evaluating teledentistry, participants raised targeted concerns regarding patient confidentiality, informed consent, and the reliability of remote diagnoses. Furthermore, actual clinical use was assessed inconsistently across studies and could not be deduced from reported awareness or favourable attitudes.

Quality appraisals revealed notable methodological limitations across the reviewed evidence, with six studies judged to carry a high risk of bias and five exhibiting an unclear risk of bias. Because of substantial heterogeneity across technologies, participant populations, questionnaires, outcome definitions, and scoring metrics, findings were synthesised narratively without statistical pooling or cross-study averaging. The authors concluded that future research must utilise validated instruments that clearly differentiate knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and actual clinical practice, combined with objective competency measures and multicentre or longitudinal designs.

Subject of Research: Knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward digital dentistry among dental students and professionals

Article Title: Knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward digital dentistry among dental students and professionals: a systematic review

Article References: Babak, M., Ehsan, H., Jawad, M., Habib-Ur-Rehman, Khan, Z., & Ahmad, S. (2026). Knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward digital dentistry among dental students and professionals: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10740-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10740-7

Keywords: digital dentistry, systematic review, dental education, CAD-CAM, cone-beam computed tomography, teledentistry, dental students, clinical practice, Knowledge, awareness, attitudes, toward