Prevalence and awareness levels of color blindness among students of faculty of dentistry and dental prosthesis technology program.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and awareness levels of color blindness among students in a faculty of dentistry and dental prosthesis technology program in two different universities.

Materials and methods: A survey of awareness of color blindness among 710 students (males: n=271; females: n=439) in the faculty of dentistry and dental prosthesis technology program of Gazi University and Ankara Medipol University in 2019-2021 was conducted. The color vision status of 442 of the students (males; n=155; females: n=287) was assessed using an online Ishihara color blindness test. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the color blindness scores in terms of sex (males: 0.75±0.84; females: 0.64±0.75) (p=0.226). The color blindness scores of the dental prosthesis technology students were statistically higher than those of the faculty of dentistry students (p=0.028). Education year was significantly associated with a compromised ability to identify colors properly (p=0.040). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of awareness levels of color blindness according to the number of years of education (p>0.005).

Conclusion: In terms of the prevalence of color blindness, 2.2% of faculty of dentistry and dental prosthesis technology students had a moderate-to-high level of color blindness. Students' awareness of their own color vision status was very low. The educational content of faculty of dentistry and dental prosthesis technology programs on color blindness should be enriched.