Antimicrobial resistance is a mounting global health threat, and dentistry accounts for a notable share of antibiotic use. In conflict-affected settings like the Palestinian territories, structural constraints—restricted mobility, uneven access to care and disrupted follow-up—may nudge clinicians towards precautionary prescribing. In this interview with Dental Tribune International, Dr Elham Talib Kateeb—professor of dental public health in the Faculty of Dentistry and dean of scientific research at Al-Quds University in east Jerusalem—talks about a new study on antibiotic stewardship among Palestinian dental students. She discusses where sound knowledge fails to translate into clinical decisions, how context and patient expectations shape prescribing, what curricula can do to close the gap and how the war in Gaza has further complicated stewardship and training.