We conducted a survey with the aim of contributing to educational activities by clarifying the learning motivation of dental students.

The subjects were 126 fifth-year dental students at Osaka Dental University.

Three psychometric scales were used: the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) for self-efficacy, the Passive Area Scale (PAS) for apathy, and the Learned Helplessness Scale (LHS) for helplessness. Mean scores were calculated for each total scale and subscale. In addition, the mean ± 1/2 SD of the score for each total scale was classified as 'standard' and the others as 'low' and 'high'. Correlations between the scores of each total scale and between the scores of each subscale were examined using correlation coefficients.

The results showed that 30% of the students had low self-efficacy and apathy and 26% had high helplessness. A strong negative correlation was found between GSES and LHS, and a weak positive correlation between PAS and LHS, but no correlation was found between GSES and PAS.

These findings suggest that teachers may need to focus on identifying and supporting students with low self-efficacy and high helplessness, or high apathy. Shika Igaku (J Osaka Odontol Soc) 2025; Mar; 88(1): 1-11.

Mental pain is reduced under emotion-controlled conditions with intravenous sedation, whereas regional anesthesia induces pain through the pain conduction pathway. Eruptive pain decreases the depth of sedation and can cause adverse events that interfere with safe and comfortable dental treatment. To provide safer and more comfortable dental treatment under intravenous sedation, we conducted a clinical and statistical study on how the use of topical anesthetic before local anesthetic needle insertion affects the depth and efficacy of sedation during local anesthesia. Our results suggest that the use of topical anesthetics reduces pain during needle insertion, suppresses the depth of sedation, and is effective in suppressing body movements caused by painful stimuli. However, unpleasant memories are rarely produced with or without the use of topical anesthetics because of the strong amnesic effect of intravenous sedatives and the reduction of mental pain. However, electroencephalogram monitored values were significantly elevated in the group that did not receive topical anesthetics, suggesting that their use may be effective, considering the possibility of unpleasant memories. These results suggest that the use of topical anesthetics in combination with emotional control by intravenous sedation may provide safer and more comfortable dental treatments under intravenous sedation than current methods. In the future, this strategy is expected to be more effective for patients who may experience more adverse events owing to the pain of the local anesthetic needle insertion, such as those with cognitive disabilities or those with a history of vasovagal reflexes. Shika Igaku (J Osaka Odontol Soc) 2025; Mar; 88(1): 12-18.