Attitudes towards oral health behavior among students of dental schools in Tehran

Abstract

  Attitudes towards oral health behavior among students of dental schools in Tehran

  

  Dr. Khami MR.,¹ Dr. Ghadimi S .,² Dr. Zare H ., ³ Rabbani M.⁴

  ¹ Assistant Professor of Community Oral Health Department , School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Tehran, Iran. ² Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Tehran, Iran . ³ Dentist . ⁴ Resident of , Department of Porosthodentics, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Tehran, Iran.

 

  (Received 13 March, 2010 Accepted 12 Oct, 2010)

  

  Abstract

  

  Background and Aim : Effectiveness of oral health promotion programs requires presence of knowledgeable and prevention-oriented dental workforce. The aim of the present study was to investigate attitudes of dental students and its determinants in Tehran towards prevention based on Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire.

  Materials and Methods : A Farsi version of HU-DBI questionnaire was prepared, validated and administered to the pre-clinical and clinical students of three dental schools located in Tehran. Chi-square test and logistic regression model served for statistical analysis.

  Results: In this cross-sectional study, two-hundred students participated. Women were less likely to agree with the statements "I have noticed some white sticky deposits on my teeth", and "I think I can clean my teeth well without using toothpaste" (P=0.04 and P=0.06, respectively), and more likely to agree with "I think that I cannot help having false teeth when I am old" compared to men (P=0.015). Differences related to the students' schools also existed in the students' reactions to the items "I have used a dye to see how clean my teeth are" and "I use a toothbrush which has hard bristles". Differences related to the students’ study year were also found in their attitudes towards prevention.

  Conclusion : Dental students’ prevention-oriented attitudes seem to be associated with their gender and study year. More emphasis should be placed on prevention in Iranian dental curriculum to overcome those differences in the students' attitudes which are related to background and academic characteristics .

  Key words : Dental students - Attitude of health personnel - Dental education .

  

  Corresponding Author: Dr. Zare H ., Dentist .

  e.mail: dr_hadizare@yahoo.com