Sir, I read with interest the recent paper published by the BDJ entitled ‘Dental amalgam teaching phase-out - a step too soon? Foundation trainees' experience of amalgam use in dental school compared to practice: a mixed-methods survey' (Br Dent J 2023; 235: 329-334).

As an intern dentist who recently graduated from a Jordanian dental school, I would like to share my undergraduate experience regarding amalgam restoration teaching and how it affected my confidence in using and placing it. My experience could raise another perspective on this matter.

During the pre-clinical phase of teaching, about 50% of the restorations that we placed using phantom head jaws were amalgam restorations. This volume of training made me feel confident in using it for my patients. In the clinical undergraduate phase, only 10% of the required restorations were amalgam restorations. Despite this small percentage of required amalgam restorations, I found it extremely difficult to convince the patients to use them. Jordanian patients commonly refuse amalgam fillings, with poor aesthetics given as the main reason.1

This difference in the practising volume between the preclinical and clinical phases of undergraduate teaching and patients' refusal have affected my confidence in placing amalgam restorations for my patients and I am sure this is true for, and shared by, many students and dentists globally.

Efforts must be directed towards tweaking undergraduate dental curricula to be in accordance with what the students will practise in their clinical phase and after graduation.