Oral self-care behavior among dental school students in Greece

The purpose of this study was to determine the oral health attitudes/behavior of Greek dental students. The subjects (n = 539) were officially registered students at the University of Athens Dental School. Their oral health behavior was assessed with the use of a 12-graded-item questionnaire. A significant increase per year of study was observed in the number of students reporting careful brushing of the teeth [OR: 1.1 (1.0-1.3)] and being able to clean their teeth well without the use of toothpaste [OR: 2.5 (2.0-3.1)]. Each year of education significantly increased the probability of disagreement with statements such as: "I think my teeth are getting worse despite my daily brushing" [OR: 1.5 (1.2-1.9)], "It is impossible to prevent gum disease with tooth-brushing alone" [OR: 1.3 (1.1-1.5)], and "I put off going to the dentist until I have a toothache" [OR: 1.3 (1.2-1.6)]. Examination of the summary questionnaire score revealed that females presented significantly higher total scores. All scores increased significantly in the fourth and fifth years of dental studies. During the years of university study, the score variation and favorable attitudes/ behavior toward oral health appear to reflect the variation in the students' educational training experience.