Naslov
Oral health Attitudes and Behavior of dental Students at the University of zagreb, Croatia

Autori
Badovinac, Ana ; Božić, Darko ; Vučinac, Ivana ; Vešligaj, Jasna ; Vražić, Domagoj ; Plančak, Darije

Izvornik
Journal of dental education (0022-0337) 77 (2013), 9; 1171-1178

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
dental education ; dental students ; oral health attitudes ; oral health behavior ; Croatia

Sažetak
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.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Dentalna medicina

POVEZANOST RADA