Oral Health Attitudes and Oral Care Habits Among Preclinical and Clinical Dental Students: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to compare oral health attitudes and oral care habits of preclinical and clinical dental students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 375 dental students, with 186 preclinical and 189 clinical students. Data were collected using the oral health attitude scale (OHA-S) and a demographic information form, conducted via the paper-and-pencil method. The OHA-S scores and oral care habits were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test and chi-squared test. A significance level of P < .05 was applied.

Results: Clinical students scored significantly higher on total OHA-S (median: 175) compared to preclinical students (median: 167, P < .001). Similar findings were observed across all OHA-S subdimensions, except for sensitivity (P < .05). Clinic students were also more likely to floss regularly (52.5% vs. 47.5%, P = .001) and to visit the dentist every 6 months (67% vs. 33%, P < .001). No significant differences were found regarding tooth brushing frequency, duration, or mouthwash use.

Conclusion: Clinical education positively influences dental students’ oral health attitudes and specific oral care habits such as regular dental visits and flossing. These findings underline the importance of clinical education in the development of both professional and personal oral health behaviors. Integrating experiential learning into the early stages of dental education may further close the gap in oral health attitudes between preclinical and clinical students.

Cite this article as: Fidan M, Tokan M. Oral health attitudes and oral care habits among preclinical and clinical dental students: A comparative study. Essent Dent. 2026; 5, 0054, doi:10.5152/EssentDent.2026.25054.