engleski

Preclinical and clinical differences in oral health attitudes and behaviour of dental students in Zagreb, Croatia

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate oral health behavior and attitude differences between preclinical and clinical dental students in Zagreb. Material and Methods: Students of the School of Dental Medicine in Zagreb were asked to complete a Croatian version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). The HU-DBI inventory, developed by Kawamura in 1988, comprises 20 items regarding oral health attitude and behavior, and a total score of the questionnaire is derived from the 12 scored items. Results: 503 students (22.3±2.6 mean age) completed a questionnaire, response rate was 85.1%, and 72.4% of respondents were females. Statistically significant differences among questionnaire were observed in 11 statements (P<0.05). Preclinical students (n=255) more often used toothbrushes with hard bristles, didn’t feel they’ve brushed well unless with strong strokes, and agreed more frequently that they’ve never been taught professionally how to brush. Their gums tend to bleed more often while brushing, and only a small number of them feel it takes too much time to brush their teeth. Clinical students (n=248) more often use child-sized toothbrushes and dye to see how clean their teeth are, but are less likely to check their teeth in a mirror after brushing. Finally, clinical students are significantly less worried about visiting the dentist. Preclinical and clinical students showed a low average HU-DBI score with a significant difference between these two groups (6.33±1.52 vs. 6.91±1.50, P<0.001). Conclusion: Since dental students should be oral health role models, there is a greater need

oral health; dental students; periodontal disease

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