Oral health attitudes and behaviors of the dental students in a state university in İstanbul

Abstract

Aims: Dental students have a critical role in educating their patients and relatives regarding oral health. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the changes in attitude and behavior of dental students’ during their education from preclinical to clinical classes using the Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). Methods: The Turkish translation of HU-DBI was distributed to the 537 students studying at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Health Sciences, in the 2023-2024 academic year. Results: A total of 416 students completed the survey. The total mean HU-DBI score was 6.3±1.54. The mean HU-DBI scores were significantly higher in clinical classes (6.51±1.48) compared to preclinical classes (5.82±1.61) (p=0.001; p<0.01). Compared to the clinical students, preclinical students reported a significantly higher percentage of bleeding when they brush their teeth (p=0.001); they were bothered about their teeth color (p=0.0119; they thought that their teeth were getting worse even though they brushed them every day (p=0.006); and they postponed going to the dentist until their teeth hurt (p=0.001). Moreover, a significantly higher percentage of clinical students stated that their dentist has told them that they brush their teeth very well compared to the preclinical students (p=0.044). Conclusion: Initiating oral health education programs at the start of dental education may be beneficial for improving students’ oral health awareness and knowledge.

Keywords

• Inventory
• dental students
• Turkiye

References

1. Genco RJ, Sanz M. Clinical and public health implications of periodontal and systemic diseases: an overview. Periodontol 2000. 2020;83(1):7-13. doi:10.1111/prd.12344
2. Karem Hassan B, Jabbar Ali B, Mahmood Alwan A, Badeia RA. Self-reported oral health attitudes and behaviors, and gingival status of dental students. Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2020;12:225-232. doi:10.2147/CCIDE.S249708
3. Yildiz S, Dogan B. Self reported dental health attitudes and behaviour of dental students in Turkey. Eur J Dent. 2011;5(3):253-259.
4. Peker K, Bermek G. Predictors of health-promoting behaviors among freshman dental students at Istanbul University. J Dent Educ. 2011;75(3):413-420.
5. Peker K, Uysal O, Bermek G. Dental training and changes in oral health attitudes and behaviors in Istanbul dental students. J Dent Educ. 2010;74(9):1017-1023.
6. Surme K, Akman H. Evaluation of self-reported oral health attitudes and behavior of dental students in Antalya, Turkey. Cureus. 2023;15(8):e44387. doi:10.7759/cureus.44387
7. Riad A, Buchbender M, Howaldt HP, Klugar M, Krsek M, Attia S. Oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) of German dental students: descriptive cross-sectional study. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022;9:852660. doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.852660
8. Riad A, Põld A, Olak J, et al. Estonian dental students’ oral health-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KAB): National survey-based study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(3):1908. doi:10.3390/ijerph19031908

9. Dagli RJ, Tadakamadla S, Dhanni C, Duraiswamy P, Kulkarni S. Self reported dental health attitude and behavior of dental students in India. J Oral Sci. 2008;50(3):267-272. doi:10.2334/josnusd.50.267
10. Kawamura M. Dental behavioral science. The relationship between perceptions of oral health and oral status in adults. Hiroshima Daigaku Shigaku Zasshi. 1988;20(2):273-286.
11. Kawamura M, Honkala E, Widström E, Komabayashi T. Cross-cultural differences of self-reported oral health behaviour in Japanese and Finnish dental students. Int Dent J. 2000;50(1):46-50. doi:10.1111/j.1875-595x.2000.tb00546.x
12. Komabayashi T, Kwan SY, Hu DY, Kajiwara K, Sasahara H, Kawamura M. A comparative study of oral health attitudes and behaviour using the Hiroshima University - Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) between dental students in Britain and China. J Oral Sci. 2005;47(1):1-7. doi:10.2334/josnusd.47.1
13. Spielman AI. Dental education and practice: past, present, and future trends. Front Oral Health. 2024;5:1368121. doi:10.3389/froh.2024.1368121
14. Su S, Lipsky MS, Licari FW, Hung M. Comparing oral health behaviours of men and women in the United States. J Dent. 2022;122:104157. doi:10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104157
15. Lipsky MS, Su S, Crespo CJ, Hung M. Men and oral health: a review of sex and gender differences. Am J Mens Health. 2021;15(3):15579883211016361. doi:10.1177/15579883211016361
16. Wieslander V, Leles C, Srinivasan M. Evaluation of oral-health behavioral attitudes of dental students in Switzerland and Brazil. J Oral Sci. 2021;63(4):326-329. doi:10.2334/josnusd.21-0188
17. Polychronopoulou A, Kawamura M, Athanasouli T. Oral self-care behavior among dental school students in Greece. J Oral Sci. 2002;44(2):73-78. doi:10.2334/josnusd.44.73
18. Badovinac A, Božić D, Vučinac I, Vešligaj J, Vražić D, Plancak D. Oral health attitudes and behavior of dental students at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. J Dent Educ. Sep 2013;77(9):1171-1178.
19. Pacauskiene IM, Smailiene D, Siudikienė J, Savanevskyte J, Nedzelskiene I. Self-reported oral health behavior and attitudes of dental and technology students in Lithuania. Stomatologija. 2014;16(2):65-71.