Oral Health Attitudes among Preclinical and Clinical Dental Students in Germany.

Mohamed Mekhemar,Christof Dörfer,Jonas Conrad,Sameh Attia

doi:10.3390/ijerph17124253

Abstract

Oral health care providers are expected to show good examples of oral health behaviours and attitudes to their community. Previous studies displayed the constructive effect of dental education on oral hygiene manners of undergraduate students. The aim of this survey was to assess and compare aspects of oral health attitudes and behaviours between preclinical and clinical dental students in German universities. The German-language version of the HU-DBI was distributed to preclinical and clinical students from different German universities. Dichotomized (agree/disagree) responses to 20 HU-DBI items were provided in this study, with a maximum possible score of 19. A quantitative estimate of oral health attitudes and behaviours was provided by the total of appropriate answers given to every statement by each group. Data were analysed statistically. The overall mean score of answers favouring good oral hygiene was marginally higher in preclinical (14.62) than clinical students (14.31) but showed no statistical significance. Similarly, the analysis of each item individually displayed no statistically significant differences between preclinical and clinical participants, except in a single item of the survey. This study showed no effective differences in oral hygiene attitudes and behaviour between preclinical and clinical students in German universities. This reveals a weak effect of dental education on improving students’ oral health attitudes in Germany and might demand the introduction of more courses emphasizing the importance of correct oral health behaviour of health care providers.

Highlights

Oral diseases are among the most prevalent diseases worldwide and produce abundant health and economic burdens, reducing quality of life for individuals and societies affected [1]
As oral health attitudes display their mind’s predisposition to oral health and reflect practically as oral health behaviour, oral health providers can advise patients and present good examples of correct oral practices to raise the awareness on oral disease prevention as one of their substantial responsibilities [4]
The results revealed that the majority of dental preclinical and clinical students of the study population care about their oral health

Summary

Introduction

Oral diseases are among the most prevalent diseases worldwide and produce abundant health and economic burdens, reducing quality of life for individuals and societies affected [1]. Health education is considered one of the fundamental elements in the success of disease prevention in several areas of health care, including oral and dental health [2]. Among the most reliable methods of oral health education, the attitudes and behaviour of oral health providers towards their own dental and oral hygiene can have a major impact on improving public oral health [3]. As oral health attitudes display their mind’s predisposition to oral health and reflect practically as oral health behaviour, oral health providers can advise patients and present good examples of correct oral practices to raise the awareness on oral disease prevention as one of their substantial responsibilities [4]. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Germany was considered a peak of medical and dental education throughout the world [5].

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion