Self-Reported Oral Health and Dental Care attributes among Minia University Dental Students

Background: Maintaining good oral health is crucial for general well-being, supporting fundamental functions, while also influencing self-esteem and quality of life. As future oral health providers, dental students are expected to serve as role models. The objective was to assess oral health-related behavior among Minia University dental students and to determine influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Minia University dental students between March and August 2023. The Modified Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) was utilized for collecting data on dental care quality and oral health. A five-factor solution reflecting five oral health and dental care variables was produced by exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which accounted for 55% of the total variance. Results: A total of 288 dentistry students were included. Findings showed that clinical-year students exhibited significantly better oral health attitudes (mean scores 3.11±1.9 versus 2.46±2.1, respectively) and behaviors (3.80±1.6 versus 2.74±1.8, respectively) than preclinical students. No significant age or gender differences were noted in all oral health and dental care attributes except in smoking behavior, where female students had more favorable scores than males (mean scores 2.61± 0.9 versus 1.84±1.1, respectively). Multivariable-adjusted linear regression revealed that higher educational level and better daily dental care practices were significantly associated with better oral health attitudes in addition to behaviors. While self-reported oral health was significantly related to smoking. Conclusions: The findings of the study support the value of oral health education and training to prepare future professionals capable of promoting oral health within the community.