Problematic Internet Usage: A survey study of Dental Students in India:

upasana  sethi ahuja; Deepankar Misra; Akansha Misra; akansha budakoti; Rupali Pandey; Priyanka Khanna

doi:10.21276/ujds.2026.12.2.30

upasana sethi ahuja Professor and Head, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Kadrabad, Modinagar, Ghaziabad (U.P.)
Deepankar Misra IDST Modinagar
Akansha Misra Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Kadrabad, Modinagar, Ghaziabad (U.P.)
akansha budakoti Reader, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Kadrabad, Modinagar, Ghaziabad (U.P.)
Rupali Pandey Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Kadrabad, Modinagar, Ghaziabad (U.P.)
Priyanka Khanna Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Kadrabad, Modinagar, Ghaziabad (U.P.)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21276/ujds.2026.12.2.30

Keywords: Problematic internet use, Internet dependence, dental students, digital technologies, public health

Abstract

Background

The rise of technology has made online communication a vital part of life. However, unregulated internet use can harm relationships and negatively impact both psychological and physical well-being.

Objective:

To establish degree of internet dependency among dental students.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 dental students from different academic years of different dental colleges. Demographic details, the reason for using the Internet, and the amount of time spent using it were documented. A 20-item version of Young's Internet Addiction Test was used to measure internet dependency. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 23.0 software.

Results:

Internet dependency had prevalence of 21.5%. The highest mean score for Internet dependency (45.84±9.27) was seen among 2^nd year students. Internet dependency was statistically significantly (p=0.02) correlated with the number of hours spent on Internet each day as Daily usage. Dependence (11.85±1.68), Excessive use (11.63±1.45), State of mind (8.51±2.00), Blocking the spontaneity of Existence (9.18±1.62), as well as Non-restraint (7.48±2.89) were the five primary divisions that our research found to determine degree of dependency.

Conclusion:

Most students have varying degrees of internet dependency.

Problematic Internet Usage: A survey study of Dental Students in India

Problematic Internet Usage

Abstract

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