Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory Score Research Articles

Evaluation of Self-Reported Oral Health Attitudes and Behavior of Dental Students in Antalya, Turkey.

Background Dental students are expected to play a critical role in the oral health education of society as future providers of dental care, and their attitudes on this subject have a possible impact on the awareness of patients regarding the importance of preventing oral diseases and improving oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the oral health attitudes and behavior of dental students. Methodology The Turkish version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire regarding oral health attitudes and behaviors with an additional nine questions was distributed among 250 native Turkish-speaking dental students at the Faculty of Dentistry in Antalya, Turkey. The validity of the nine questions added to the original questionnaire was evaluated by expert opinion and a pretest method. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis, and the statistical significance level was set at p-values <0.05. Results The mean age of the 250 students in the study was 20.96 ± 1.66 years. In total, 157 (62.8%) students were preclinical (first, second, and third year) dentistry students, and 93 (37.2%) students were clinical (fourth and fifth year) dentistry students. The mean HU-DBI score of all students was 5.95 ± 1.65, and the mean HU-DBI score of clinical students (6.42 ± 1.65) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of preclinical students (5.67 ± 1.59). The mean HU-DBI score of male and female students was 5.63 ± 1.55 and 6.24 ± 1.69, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The study showed significant improvement in the behavior and attitude regarding the oral health of the clinical dental students compared with the preclinical dental students. Conclusions Among dental students, clinical students and female students had generally better attitudes and behaviors about oral health self-care compared to preclinical students and male students, respectively.

Comparative Assessment of Oral Health Attitudes and Behaviors of First-Time and Previous Dental Patients UndergoingExodontia Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Private Dental Clinics in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

The COVID-19 lockdown affected oral health behaviors. This study aims to assess and compare the oral health attitudes and behaviors of first-time and previous patients undergoing dental extractions during the COVID-19 pandemic at private dental clinics in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted among patients aged 18-65 years undergoing dental extractions at private dental clinics in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. Four hundred and eighty patients were selected using a convenient sampling methodology. A structured, close-ended questionnaire investigated demographic information, tooth extraction attendance, and oral health attitudes and behaviors using 20 items Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HUDBI). A total of 480 exodontia patients [282 (58.8%) males and 198 (41.2%) females] participated in this study. All patients used a stiff-bristled toothbrush and wereconcerned about their teeth' color and bad breath. Similarly, all the participants did not feel brushed unless they used strong strokes, and the dentist told them to brush very well. An overall mean HUDBI score of 6.34±1.12 was observed. Patients with a primary education (5.61±0.79), income ≤5000 SAR (6.00±0.92), residing in rural areas (5.84±0.93), and government employees (5.62±0.96) exhibited lower HU-DBI scores compared to their counterparts. The study revealed a significant variation in HUDBI scores across different demographic factors, including education, income, residence, occupation, and reason for extraction (p<0.001). The HUDBI score of first-time attendees to dental extraction (5.88±1.03) was found to be significantly poorer than to those of previous attendees (6.63±1.09), (p<0.001). Patients who underwent dental extractions at private dental clinics in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, during the post-lockdown COVID-19 pandemic exhibited average oral health attitudes and behaviors. Oral health attitudes and behaviorsdiffered by socioeconomic status. Patients undergoing dental extractions for reasons other than dental caries and periodontal diseases and first-time attendees demonstrated poor oral health attitudes and behaviors.

Comparative evaluation of oral health attitudes and behaviors among dental and medical students during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

The purpose of the study was to compare the oral health attitudes and behaviors of medical and dental students/interns during the Corona pandemic in Saudi Arabia using Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the oral health attitudes and behaviors of dental and medical students/interns in Saudi Arabia using an online Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HUDBI). An English version of the questionnaires consisting of personal information and 20 HUDBI items were responded by the 638 (46.8%) dental and 726 (53.2%) medical students/interns. The mean score of oral health attitude and behavior of the study participants was calculated based on 12 point scale of the HUDBI items. The Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests compared the HUDBI scores across different groups. The study sample's overall mean HUDBI score was 6.44±1.80 (Median 7). Dental students/interns (825.60) demonstrated a significantly higher HUDBI mean score than medical students/interns (556.75) (p<0.001). Similarly, female students (712.25) than the male students (712.25 vs. 642, p=0.001), and those studying in private universities compared to government universities (741.56 vs. 673.52, p=0.028) showed significantly higher HUDBI mean scores. During the COVID-19 pandemic, dental students/interns displayed a better oral health attitudes and behaviors than medical students/interns. Therefore, oral health promotion programs aimed at medical and dental students/interns are essential for improving oral health attitudes and behaviors.

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (KAB) of German Dental Students: Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Germany's 2030–oral health agenda incorporates behavioral targets such as twice-daily toothbrushing and routine dental check-ups. Given the professional and social roles of dentists in oral health promotion, the oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) of dentists and dental students became worth investigation. The present study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study that aimed to evaluate oral health KAB of German dental students using the Hiroshima University – Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). A total of 508 dental students filled in the questionnaire, out of which 74.2% were females, 38.8% were clinical students, 11.4% reported tobacco smoking at least once week, 26.6% reported drinking alcohol at least once a week, and 82.9% reported suffering from problematic internet use. The overall HU-DBI score was high (7.67 ± 1.32), and it was slightly higher among females (7.70 ± 1.33) than males (7.59 ± 1.29), and gender-diverse students (7.33 ± 1.37). Clinical students (7.88 ± 1.26) had a significantly higher HU-DBI score, especially in the domain of oral health behaviors, compared with preclinical students (7.53 ± 1.34). A significant improvement in oral health behaviors and HU-DBI score was found between the third- vs. the fourth year, which corresponds to the period when prophylaxis, hygiene, and periodontology courses are delivered. Tobacco smoking was significantly associated with poor oral health knowledge, behaviors, and overall HU-DBI score. Problematic internet use and alcohol drinking had slightly lower HU-DBI scores. The findings of the present study call for early implementation of preventive dentistry elements in German curricula and addressing oral health needs of gender minorities in Germany by future epidemiologic studies.

Czech and Slovak Dental Students' Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours (KAB): Multi-Country Cross-Sectional Study.

Dentists play a key role in the primary prevention of oral diseases and related systemic complications; therefore, their views on behavioural interventions need to be aligned with the current agendas for oral health. Likewise, dental students’ oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours (KAB) are of practical importance, as they are the future opinion leaders for oral health in their respective communities. A cross-sectional survey-based study was designed to evaluate the oral health KAB of dental students in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The study utilized translated versions of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI), and it aimed to recruit students from all Czech and Slovak dental schools. A total of 487 students were included in this study, out of which 372 (76.4%) were females, 271 (55.6%) were enrolled in preclinical years, 68 (14%) reported smoking tobacco at least once a week, and 430 (88.3%) reported problematic internet use. The mean HU-DBI score of Czech and Slovak dental students (8.18 ± 1.80) was comparable with the previously reported scores of dental students in Nordic and Western European countries. Czech students (9.34 ± 1.29) had a significantly higher score than their Slovak counterparts (7.56 ± 1.73). In both countries, preclinical students (8.04 vs. 8.35), the students who reported tobacco smoking (7.63 vs. 8.27), and those who reported problematic internet use (8.11 vs. 8.70) had significantly lower HU-DBI scores than their counterparts, respectively. In the Czech Republic, the significant increases in HU-DBI scores occurred after the first academic year when the students received preventive dentistry courses; therefore, one can put forward that early implementation of preventive elements in undergraduate dental curricula may yield better and more sustainable oral health gains for the students. Future research on Czech and Slovak dental curricula need to re-evaluate the oral hygiene and anti-smoking components and their impact on students’ views and attitudes.

Estonian Dental Students' Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours (KAB): National Survey-Based Study.

The strategic plan for dentistry and oral health in Estonia of 2030 focuses on oral health promotion and disease prevention through undergraduate dental curricula and fostering public health-oriented research among students. The present study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study to evaluate oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours (KAB) of dental students in Estonia. The study was carried out in the spring semester of 2020, and it used a modified version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI). A total of 129 students responded to the survey, constituting a response rate of 93.5% due to the total population sampling (census) technique used in this study and the small target population size. Out of the 124 students included in the final analysis, 79% were females, 62.1% were clinical students, 11.3% reported smoking tobacco at least once a week, and 86.3% reported problematic internet use. The present study found that mean HU-DBI score of Estonian dental students was 8.09 ± 1.22 which is so far the highest recorded HU-DBI score in Europe. There was no significant difference between female vs. male or preclinical vs. clinical students in terms of HU-DBI score. While clinical students reported less faulty oral hygiene practices, such as hard toothbrush use and aggressive toothbrushing, preclinical students reported a slightly higher mean HU-DBI score. Smoking behaviour was more common among male and clinical students, and it was also associated with alcohol drinking and worry about teeth colour and halitosis.

Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours of Arab Dental Students: Multi-National Cross-Sectional Study and Literature Analysis 2000-2020.

Dental students are the future leaders of oral health in their respective communities; therefore, their oral health-related attitudes and behaviours are of practical value for primary disease prevention. The present study aimed to evaluate oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of dental students in Arab countries and explore the potential sociodemographic predictors of their oral health outcomes. A multi-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted during the academic year 2019/2020 in three Arab countries: Lebanon, Syria, and Tunisia. The study used a validated Arabic version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) composed of original twenty items that assess the level of oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, and four additional dichotomous items related to tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, problematic internet use, and regular dental check-up The HU-DBI score ranges between 0 and 12. A total of 1430 students took part in this study, out of which 60.8% were females, 57.8% were enrolled in clinical years, 24.5% were tobacco smokers, 7.2% were alcohol drinkers, and 87% reported internet addiction. The mean HU-DBI score was 6.31 ± 1.84, with Lebanon having the highest score (6.67 ± 1.83), followed by Syria (6.38 ± 1.83) and Tunisia (6.05 ± 1.83). Clinical students (6.78 ± 1.70) had higher HU-DBI scores than their preclinical peers (5.97 ± 1.86). The year-over-year analysis revealed that dental public health and preventive dentistry courses had significantly and positively impacted the undergraduate students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. The gender-based differences were not statistically significant, with a modest trend favouring males, especially oral health behaviours. Tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and problematic internet use were associated with lower HU-DBI scores. In the Arab world, the economic rank of the country where the dental students live/study was weakly correlated with the students’ mean HU-DBI score.

Evaluation of oral-health behavioral attitudes of dental students in Switzerland and Brazil.

This study evaluated the effect of progressive training on the oral health behaviors of dental students from Switzerland and Brazil. Dental students from two dental schools (in Zurich, Switzerland, and Goiania, Brazil) were recruited for this study. Dental behaviors of the students in the final 3 years of their 5-year dental curriculum were assessed with the 20-item Hiroshima University-Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI). Nonparametric tests were used to assess intergroup and intragroup differences (significance level: α = 0.05). 190 students (Zurich: n = 121, mean age ± SD = 25.5 ± 4.5 years; Goiania: n = 69, mean age ± SD = 23.5 ± 2.9 years) of a possible 277 students completed the survey (response rate = 68.6%). The overall mean HU-DBI score was 8.16 ± 1.35 (8.02 ± 1.27 in Switzerland and 8.41 ± 1.47 in Brazil). Age (P = 0.225) and sex (P = 0.145) were not associated with the scores, but the respondent's nationality seemed to play a role (P = 0.024). Progressive training had no effect on the scores (P = 0.766). The present findings show that progressive training has no effect on the oral health behaviors of dental students but the nationality might be a factor.

Oral Health Behavior and Practice among Nursing Students in Hyderabad City, Pakistan

Objective: To investigate the oral health behavior and practice among nursing students of Hyderabad. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 390 nursing students from three different institutes of Hyderabad from November to December 2018. Nursing students with age 16 years and above with no restriction of gender were selected through non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through the questionnaire designed on the basis of Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.57±4.67 years. Overall highest mean HU-DBI score was found for age group 31-35 (3.91±0.850), for male (3.92±0.750), for BSN Post RN (3.91±0.856) and for 2ndyear students (3.84±0.912). A statistically signiicant difference was observed for gender only (p-value < 0.001). The majority (83.3%) of the participants brush their teeth every day. Half of the participants mentioned that they use a brush and miswak every day. More than 90% of participants did not use mouthwash and toothpick regularly. Only 8.2% of nursing students loss daily. Conclusion: Male nursing students were found to be more conscious about their dental hygiene. There was no signiicant difference in dental behavior among nursing students of different years and education program. There was a lack of loss practice among nursing students. The behavior of nursing students about oral health was adequate. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 390 nursing students from three different institutes of Hyderabad from November to December 2018. Nursing students with age 16 years and above with no restriction of gender were selected through non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through the questionnaire designed on the basis of Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI).

Self-reported differences in oral health attitudes and behaviors of health-care students at a University in Malaysia

Abstract Background: Oral health is a vital part of general health. An individual’s perception on oral health is reflected by their oral health attitudes and behaviors. Aim: To determine and compare the oral health attitudes and behaviors of dental, medical, and nursing students at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Methods: A modified version of Hiroshima University– Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI)-based questionnaire consisting of 20 items was distributed to all health-care students (n = 1166) of USM. HU-DBI score was calculated using responses to 12 HU-DBI items in the questionnaire. HU-DBI scores of the three groups were compared using one-way ANOVA complemented by Bonferroni test. Scores among preclinical and clinical levels were compared using independent t-test. Chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in distribution of all items in the HU-DBI survey. Results: Dental students had the highest mean HU-DBI score (7.79 ± 1.58), followed by their nursing (6.99 ± 1.46) and medical (6.42 ± 1.58) counterparts. The mean HU-DBI score for all clinical students (7.04 ± 1.75) was significantly higher than those in their preclinical years (6.64 ± 1.56). Among the 12 HU-DBI items that were used to calculate the HU-DBI scores, items 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 19 show significant difference between the distributions of responses within the 3 groups (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Dental students demonstrated better oral health attitudes. However, all our future health-care provider needs to have better attitudes toward oral health. Hence, comprehensive oral health awareness programs need to be incorporated to all health-care students throughout their study programs.

Oral health-related quality of life among Belgrade adolescents

Background/Aim. Adolescents are vulnerable group in term of acquisition of oral health-related knowledge, habits and attitudes. That is why the aim of this study was to investigate the associations between dental status, dental anxiety and oral health-related behavior and oral healthrelated quality of life as captured by Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) index. Methods. This crosssectional survey included representative sample of 404 adolescents (15 years old), randomly recruited from high schools in Belgrade, Serbia. The adolescents were interviewed using Serbian versions of eight-item OIDP index, Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HUDBI) and modified Corah?s Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Three previously trained and calibrated dentists examined the subjects in the classrooms to determine the oral health status of adolescents [the Decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index and visual signs of gingivitis]. Results. At least one oral impact was reported in 49.50% of adolescents. Most frequently, oral health problems affected eating (26.73%), tooth cleaning (27.47%) and sleep and relaxation (16.83%). In comparison with adolescents without oral impacts, the adolescents with at least one oral impact reported, had higher DMFT score, more often reported problems with bleeding gums, usage of hard toothbrush, worries about the color of their teeth and seeing the dentist because of the symptoms. Logistic regression showed that dental anxiety (MDAS score), dental behavior (HUDBI score) and worrying about the color of the teeth significantly affected OIDP score. Conclusion. Oral healthrelated quality of life among adolescents was affected by their behavior and dental anxiety levels. Implementing public health policies that target adolescents with poor oral health or bad habits might be helpful in improving their oral health-related quality of life.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Habits Regarding Oral Health in First- and Final-Year Dental Students

The purpose of the research was to compare oral health behavior and plaque indices between Croatian first-year and final-year dental students. Therefore, 46.9% of first-year and 47% of final-year dental students were surveyed using the Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire and had their plaque indices determined. Descriptive statistics analysis, nonparametric tests, and correlation analysis were performed (p<0.05). Sixth-year students had a significantly better mean HU-DBI score (8.06) than first-year students (6.45). Significantly more first-year students thought that they could not help having false teeth at their old age (p=0.007), had never been taught professionally how to brush (p=0.019), and used a toothbrush with hard bristles (p=0.001). Significantly more final-year students brushed each of their teeth carefully (p=0.008), thought they could clean their teeth well without using tooth paste (p=0.000), used a dye to see how clean their teeth were (p=0.002), and had their dentist telling them they brushed very well (p=0.028). Plaque index values were significantly lower (p<0.05) among first-year (7.94±0.72) than among final-year (9.13±0.77) students. With advancement in dental training, oral health attitudes improved, but the level of dental students' oral hygiene decreased.

ORAL HEALTH ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS AMONG PATIENTS IN A DENTAL HOSPITAL IN ANKARA, TURKEY

Purpose: Information about public’s knowledge and attitude about oral diseases and their prevention would indicate the need for education of the community. The objective of this study was to have a foresight about oral health attitude and behavior among adult patients in a state dental hospital, Ankara. Material and Method: Questionnaire was prepared using Turkish version of Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) and additional 7 questions. 258 number of patients participated. Edentulous patients and patients under 12 years old were kept out of the study. Pearson’s ChiSquare,Kruskall-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U Tests were used to analyse the results. Results: The average age was 33.0. Of the participants, 51.2% was female and 48.8% was male. 14.3% of the patients was graduated from primary school, 12.1% secondary school, 36.4% high school, 3.9% open university, 33.3% university and post graduate. The mean HU-DBI score was 5.3 (out of 12). Females had significantly higher HU-DBI scores than males (p=0.039). Individuals brushing before sleep had significantly high scores (p=0.0001). Females brushed their teeth before sleep more than males (p=0.019). Females preferred medicine first more than males (p=0.019). Statistically significant difference in prefering medicine first was determined in the group of primary school (p=0.012). As level of education increased, usage rate of dental floss increased (p=0.018). Conclusions: Oral health attitude and behavior of the population studied was not satisfactory. Oral health education should be provided for the community

Assessment of oral health attitudes and behavior among undergraduate dental students using Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory HU-DBI

Introduction: Dental students are the future leaders in oral health care and are expected to be teachers of oral hygiene as well as role models of self-care regimens for their patients. Objective: The objective was to assess self-reported oral health attitude and behavior among undergraduate dental students and to analyze variations between gender and level of education. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire based on the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) was distributed among 270 undergraduate students which consisted of 20 dichotomous responses (yes-no). Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance and statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Females had better oral health attitude and behavior toward visiting the dentist and oral hygiene practices, mean HU-DBI score of 8.8 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the preclinical students (1 st , 2 nd years) had better oral health attitude and behavior especially towards gingival health, oral hygiene practices and visiting the dentist (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Among dental students, the overall attitude of oral health was good, even though there were deficits in a few areas. The oral health attitudes and behavior were better among female's dental students and were not improved with increasing levels of education. Better comprehensive dental education with exposure to dental health and prevention is suggested to improve dental students' oral health attitudes and behavior.

Oral health attitudes and behavior among a group of female Saudi dental students

Aim: Aim of the present study was to evaluate the oral health attitudes and behavior of female undergraduate dental students in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to age and level of dental education. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire based on the Hiroshima University - Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) was distributed among 351 dental students at Riyadh colleges of dentistry and pharmacy. Results: A response rate of 88% was obtained. The mean HU-DBI score did not show any significant relationship (P < 0.05) with age and academic level dental education by one way-analysis of variance (ANOVA). The students were considerably concerned about the appearance of their teeth and gums and halitosis. The total mean score was not markedly higher in the clinical levels (level 7 to level 12) than in the non-clinical levels (level 1 to level 6), indicating that the students were almost equally aware. The present study showed that dental students in Saudi Arabia had poor oral health awareness. Conclusion: The oral health behavior of Saudi dental students needs to be improved in order to serve as a positive model for their patients and the community.

Self-reported differences between oral health attitudes of pre-clinical and clinical students at a dental teaching institute in Saudi Arabia

To compare the attitudes of preclinical and clinical dental students toward their own oral health using the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). The English-language version of the 20-item HU-DBI was distributed to all preclinical and clinical students at the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dichotomized (agree/disagree) responses to 12 HU-DBI items were used in this study, with a maximum possible score of 12. Responses to the remaining eight statements reflected general oral health attitudes and were excluded from the analysis. Data were analyzed statistically. The overall response rate was 72.2% (preclinical, 72.5%; clinical, 72%). The mean HU-DBI score was significantly higher among clinical than among preclinical dental students (7 vs. 5.8; P<0.05). Higher proportions of preclinical than clinical students did not worry about visiting the dentist but postponed dental visits until they experienced toothache. Furthermore, more preclinical than clinical students reported that their gums bled upon brushing, used a child-sized toothbrush, had observed white, sticky deposits on their teeth, and used strong strokes for toothbrushing. More clinical than preclinical students reported that they did not feel that the condition of their teeth was worsening despite brushing, worried about the color of their teeth, brushed each of their teeth carefully, and checked their teeth in the mirror after brushing. Dental health awareness programs should be implemented and information about positive oral health attitudes should be provided to the students at an initial stage of dental training.

Oral Health Attitudes and Behavior of Dental Students at the University of Zagreb, Croatia

The aim of this study was to investigate oral health behavior and attitudes of dental students in years 1 to 6 at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. The Croatian version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) was administered to predoctoral dental students, and collected data were analyzed. A total of 503 students (22.3 ± 2.6 mean age) completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 85.1 percent, and 72.4 percent of the respondents were female. These dental students' answers to eleven out of twenty HU-DBI items differed significantly by academic year. The mean questionnaire score was 6.62 ± 1.54, and the highest value of the HU-DBI score was in the fourth year (7.24 ± 1.54). First-year students were most likely to have a toothbrush with hard bristles and felt they had not brushed well unless done with hard strokes. Students in the sixth year were least worried about visiting a dentist and most frequently put off going to a dentist until having a toothache, indicating that rise of knowledge contributes to higher self-confidence. The mean HU-DBI score for these students showed average value, pointing out the need for a comprehensive oral hygiene and preventive program from the start of dental school.

Differences in oral health behavior and attitudes between dental and nursing students

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the difference in oral health attitudes and behavior between dental and nursing students. Methods: A total of 27 item questions, the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) and additionally 7 questions, were distributed to a total of 253 students, 94 dental and 159 nursing students, from Marmara University. The participating was voluntary based. Results: Seventy-one dental and 157 nursing students were willing to participate to the study. The nursing students were significantly more concerned about the appearance of their teeth (P<0.001), and gums compared to dental students (P<0.001). Percent of agree response to worrying less about visiting dentist (P<0.001), and postponing to go to dentist until they had toothache (P<0.001) were higher in nursing students than in dental ones. More dental students compared to nursing students used a toothbrush with hard bristles (P=0.004), child-sized toothbrushes (P<0.001), brushed each of their teeth carefully (P=0.006) and had used a dye to see how clean their teeth were (P<0.001). Compared to the nursing students, a higher proportion of dental students thought that they could clean their teeth well without using toothpaste (P<0.001). The HU-DBI score of dental students was significantly higher than of nursing students (P<0.001). Dental students showed better oral health attitudes and behavior compared to nursing students. Conclusion: Nursing students have low oral health awareness. More comprehensive courses on oral health care that teach and encourage the students to change their own dental health behavior and attitudes are needed. Key words: Oral health behavior, oral health attitudes, HU-DBI, dental students, nursing students

Self Reported Dental Health Attitudes and Behaviour of Dental Students in Turkey

The aim of this study was to compare the differences in self-reported oral health attitudes and behaviour between preclinical and clinical dental students in Turkey using Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI). A Turkish version HU-DBI questionnaire with additional 7 questions, totally 27 items, was distributed among 1022 dental students. The response rate was 75% (486 preclinical and 278 clinical students). Significantly higher (P=0.000) percentage of the preclinical students, compared to clinical students, worry about colour of their teeth, are bothered by the colour of their gums, put off going to the dentist until they have a toothache; think that their teeth are getting worse despite their daily brushing, it is impossible to prevent gum disease with tooth brushing alone, and they cannot help having false teeth when they are old. Moreover, the preclinical students more frequently agree on that their gums tend to bleed when they brush their teeth, they use a toothbrush which has hard bristles, and they don't feel they've brushed well unless with strong strokes (P=0.000). However, a higher proportion of clinical students compared to preclinical students brush each of their teeth carefully, think that they can clean their teeth without using toothpaste, have had their dentist tell them that they brush very well (P=0.000). The HU-DBI score of clinical students (7.47±1.86) was significantly (P=0.000) higher than preclinical students (6.00±1.86). Dental students should have a comprehensive program, including their self-care regimes, starting from their first year of education.

Dental Training and Changes in Oral Health Attitudes and Behaviors in Istanbul Dental Students

The aim of this study was to examine the changes that occur in the oral health attitudes and behaviors of dental students in Istanbul, Turkey, during their dental education. The Turkish version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) was distributed among 757 dental students at the Dental Faculty, Istanbul University. The response rate was 72 percent. Chi-square and logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis. The mean HU-DBI score of the clinical students was significantly higher than that of the preclinical students. Preclinical students significantly more often believed that it was impossible to prevent gum disease with toothbrushing alone and worried about the color of their teeth and bad breath. Most of them brushed their teeth with strong strokes, thought the condition of their teeth was getting worse despite daily toothbrushing, and would seek dental care only when symptoms arise. Clinical students more often used disclosing solutions to see how clean their teeth were and complained of bleeding gums. The variation in favorable oral health attitudes/behaviors appeared to reflect the students' educational training experience. The findings of this study highlight the relatively poor oral health behaviors of Turkish dental students, which should be improved by means of comprehensive programs that aim to promote their own dental hygiene practices and preventive oral health knowledge from the start of dental training.