Abstract
The burden of oral diseases in India is still unmet despite an increase in manpower. This
necessitates a need to formulate a plan which manages minimum resources available more effectively. Paradigm
shift is thus mandatory to approach dentistry from a more practical point of view than theoretically. The aim of
this study was to analyze postgraduate students' ratings of their confidence in meeting clinical scenarios and to
distinguish the potential similarities or differences among postgraduates across various disciplines in performing
general dental procedures. A questionnaire that assessed the confidence level of post graduate students in
performing different general dental procedures was used in this study. The participants were in different grades
of their graduation and from varying disciplines. Students were asked to rate their self-credence level in carrying
out various dental procedures on a four-point scale. A total of 129 dental postgraduate students participated in
the survey. One-way ANOVA between the various disciplines and various general dental procedures showed a
significant difference in almost all the groups with p <0.001. Within the limitation of this study it can be
concluded that both Endodontic and Pedodontic postgraduates students had a better confidence level than other
specialty postgraduates. This can be attributed to the fact that they routinely perform most of the General Dental
procedures. The level of confidence also decreases as the postgraduates of other specialties approach their final
year. The reason may be due to the fact that they are more focused towards their specialties

Key words: Competency, Confidence, Postgraduates, General dental procedures