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Article History

Received: 20 May 2025

Accepted: 3 October 2025

First Online: 17 October 2025

Declarations

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: An ethical clearance letter was officially issued by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Atlas College of Health Sciences, bearing Reference No: ACHS/016/24. This letter confirms that all requisite ethical standards and guidelines were rigorously upheld throughout the duration of the study, ensuring the protection of participants’ rights and the integrity of the research process. Additionally, we obtained formal permission from the participating dental clinics to conduct our research, allowing us to proceed with confidence in the integrity of our study.

: Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. The study was conducted in full compliance with the principles outlined in the Helsinki Declaration, emphasizing the importance of ethical research practices. Participants were given with detailed information about the study’s objectives, procedures, potential risks, and benefits. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. Participant information was stored in a strictly confidential and secure manner, ensuring that all data remained confidential and that no identifying names of participants were mentioned in the research paper, safeguarding their anonymity throughout the study. Informed consent for publication of anonymized data was obtained from all participants included in the study.

: The authors declare no competing interests.