Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40304173›Full record

SynthesisInternational endodontic journal2026

Outcomes of root canal treatment performed by undergraduate students: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Philip Y-H Chien, Sepanta Hosseinpour, Ove A Peters, Christine I Peters

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International endodontic journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Philip Y-H ChienSchool of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Sepanta HosseinpourSchool of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Ove A PetersSchool of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5222-8718
Christine I PetersSchool of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5423-1777

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe outcomes of root canal treatment performed by students has not been well researched. Treatment outcomes of student clinicians directly correspond to the education they receive and therefore paves the way for future directions in endodontic education.

objectivesThis systematic review aimed to evaluate endodontic outcomes and success rates of contemporary root canal treatment delivered by undergraduate dental students. Factors with a positive or negative effect on endodontic education and clinical treatment quality were evaluated.

methodsThe investigation followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies from 2000 to 2024 were selected from PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Embase databases after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each study was independently assessed, and bias was categorized systematically as low, moderate or high using the risk of bias (RoB) assessment tool. Unweighted and weighted pooled success rates for each factor were calculated, and statistical heterogeneity among study subgroups was evaluated.

resultsEleven studies were eligible for data extraction and qualitative synthesis. Three studies were eligible for meta-analysis and showed that teeth diagnosed with a vital pulp had a success rate of 87.8%, while teeth diagnosed with pulp necrosis had a success rate of 65.6%. Weighted success rates for teeth with and without preoperative radiolucencies were 56.3% and 86.8%, respectively. The RoB assessment showed that 4 out of 11 studies (36.4%) had a low risk of bias.

conclusionsThe outcomes of root canal treatment performed by undergraduate students using contemporary techniques are not well understood. This analysis demonstrated that while student clinic outcomes were comparable to those reported in contemporary literature for general and specialist practice, variations in success rates may be influenced by factors such as clinical experience, exposure to diverse cases and teaching methodologies. Further research is needed to explore how educational innovations and clinical training impact endodontic outcomes in undergraduate settings. REGISTRATION: The systematic review search protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42024604079).

Indexed as

Clinical CompetenceEducation, DentalEndodonticsRoot Canal TherapyStudents, DentalHumansTreatment Outcomedental educationhealing outcomesroot canal treatmentstudent clinicssystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40304173
PMCPMC13158552

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.