Meryem ŞAHİN, Figen GÜZELGÜL
Medical Records - 2026;8(1):1819288-1819288
Aim: Dental education, particularly during the prosthodontic internship, can be a demanding period characterized by high academic and clinical workload. These stressors may influence both psychological and physiological well-being, potentially contributing to the develop-ment or exacerbation of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms. Cortisol, a key biomarker of stress, provides an objective mea-sure of the body's physiological response to these challenges. This pilot study was designed to explore the variations in stress levels, TMD symptoms, and salivary cortisol concentrations among dentistry students throughout their prosthodontic internship.