Aim: This study investigates the impact of regular testing on learning outcomes in undergraduate endodontic education. Specifically, it examines whether students perform better at the end of the course on previously tested material compared to non‐tested material and explores the role of students' engagement and perceptions of testing in this effect. Methodology: A within‐participants experimental design was employed with 81 third‐year dental students enrolled in a preclinical endodontics course. Students were tested on half of the course lectures (tested material) immediately after each lecture, while the remaining lectures served as a control (non‐tested material). Testing was conducted using multiple‐choice questions on the Blackboard Learn platform with immediate automated feedback. Final exam scores for tested and non‐tested material were compared, and a subset of students ( n = 44) completed a questionnaire assessing cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and perceptions of testing. Results: Students scored significantly higher on tested material (Mean = 25.284, SD = 4.202) compared to non‐tested material (Mean = 21.111, SD = 3.847). The mean difference between the two scores was statistically significant with a very large effect size ( F _1,80 = 108.329, p < 0.001, η _p ² = 0.575). The difference remained significant with a moderate to large effect size after accounting for the grade in the previous course and sex ( F _1,78 = 9.392, p = 0.003, η _p ² = 0.107). Emotional engagement was found to moderate the effectiveness of testing, with students reporting higher emotional engagement showing greater gains from the intervention. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate a robust testing effect in undergraduate endodontic education, supporting the hypothesis that retrieval practice enhances learning outcomes. These results suggest that integrating regular, low‐stakes testing into dental curricula can enhance dental students' learning outcomes at the end of the course.

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disorder that is well documented in adults but remains relatively uncommon in the pediatric population. Due to its rarity, knowledge regarding its epidemiology, etiology, clinical behavior, diagnosis, and management in children remains limited. Objective: To review the current literature regarding epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, histopathological characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of OLP in pediatric patients. Materials and Methods: An electronic search of the literature was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases to identify OLP-associated case reports in the pediatric population. The search was limited to English-written publications of the past decade. The initial PubMed search yielded 228 publications. Following restriction to studies published between 2016 and 2026, 97 records remained. Limiting the search to English-language publications resulted in 95 studies. Screening for patients younger than 18 years identified 51 potentially relevant publications. After title, abstract, and full-text review, 10 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. To ensure comprehensive literature coverage, supplementary searches were subsequently conducted in the Scopus and Cochrane Library databases, identifying three additional eligible studies after excluding the duplicates. Consequently, a total of 13 studies were included in the final review. Results: Pediatric OLP is considerably less common than adult disease. The available evidence suggests an immune-mediated pathogenesis, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. Clinical presentations include reticular, erosive, plaque-like, linear, and severe mucocutaneous forms, with the reticular subtype being the most frequently reported. Histopathological findings consistently demonstrate basal cell degeneration and a dense subepithelial lymphocytic infiltrate. Topical corticosteroids remain the most commonly prescribed treatment and are generally associated with favorable clinical outcomes. Conclusions: Although relatively uncommon, OLP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent oral white lesions in children. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are essential for symptom control and prevention of complications. Additional research is needed to better understand disease pathogenesis and establish evidence-based treatment protocols for pediatric patients.

Objectives: To critically evaluate the clinical evidence on patient-, tooth-, biology-, and treatment-related risk factors for endodontic flare-ups and postoperative pain after nonsurgical root canal therapy. Particular emphasis was placed on the issue of inconsistent results due to differences in definitions and methodological issues. Materials and Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched on 28 June 2026 using specific search strategies within each database that encompassed endodontic therapy, post-treatment pain, risk factors, and pulpal and periapical lesions. The eligible publications consisted of English clinical studies that had been published from 28 June 2006 to 28 June 2026. Title and abstract screening, full-text eligibility assessment, and data extraction were performed by a single reviewer without independent second-reviewer verification. Seventeen eligible reports were included in the revised narrative synthesis, comprising 13 from the original database searches and four identified through supplementary reference screening. Related genetic publications were considered together because of confirmed or suspected overlap in their patient populations. Due to heterogeneity in study populations, outcome definitions, treatment protocols, follow-up periods, and statistical analyses, findings were evaluated through critical appraisal and narrative synthesis. Results: Preoperative pain showed the strongest association with postoperative pain, whereas evidence specifically addressing clinically defined endodontic flare-ups was more limited. Associations for periapical condition, pulpal diagnosis, and the number of appointments were variable among studies. There was insufficient evidence or inconsistency on the role of age, sex, tooth factors, irrigation, instrumentation, and obturation factors. Psychological factors and genetic polymorphisms emerged as potential factors associated with postoperative pain, although their clinical relevance remains uncertain. Differences in outcome definitions, patient populations, treatment protocols, and adjustment for confounding variables may have contributed to discrepancies between studies. Conclusions: Flare-ups and postoperative pain are two different conditions that have some similarities but must be assessed independently of each other. Preoperative pain can be considered one of the main factors related to postoperative pain. However, the relatively small and methodologically heterogeneous evidence base limits firm conclusions regarding individual risk factors, particularly for clinically defined flare-ups. Further outcome-specific investigations are needed. Clinical Relevance: Evaluation of preoperative symptoms and relevant clinical characteristics may support patient counseling and treatment planning. However, there is no valid predictive tool for individual endodontic flare-ups based on the current literature.