Prevention-oriented practice of Iranian senior dental students

To investigate self-reported preventive practice of Iranian senior dental students in dental caries management.

To obtain an estimated sample size of 250 subjects, seven state dental schools were selected based on a stratified random sampling approach. All the senior dental students (n = 327) were asked to voluntarily fill in a self-administered pre-tested questionnaire during the spring term in 2005. In the questionnaire two hypothetical patient cases (a high-risk and a low-risk patient) were presented and the students were asked to express their conceptions on a five-point Likert scale about including each of nine given alternatives in the patients' treatment plans. The respondents' self-reported oral self-care (OSC), preventive knowledge, attitude towards prevention and self-perceived competency in giving preventive care were also assessed. Chi-squared test and logistic regression model served for statistical analyses.

A total of 270 students filled in the questionnaire (response rate = 82%). Acquiring high scores of preventive practice as assessed by patient cases was found to be more frequent among those reporting recommended OSC (P = 0.007) and those with higher attitude scores (P < 0.001). Also, those reporting being competent in giving preventive care had higher scores of preventive practice compared with the others (P = 0.02). In the regression model, recommended OSC (P = 0.05, OR = 1.9) and positive attitudes towards preventive dentistry (P = 0.001, OR = 3.3) showed significant association with acquiring highest scores of preventive practice.

To improve their preventive practice in the future, more emphasis should be placed on the dental students' own oral health behaviour and attitudes related to it.