Health science student's knowledge of oral health and preventive practices

Abstract

Despite great improvements in oral health in America and globally, gum disease and dental caries remains at epidemic proportions. The World Health Organizations (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Surgeon General, and the American Dental Association (ADA) all stress that the dental caries and gum disease public health epidemic is too widespread and serious for dentists to tackle alone. One of the top public health priorities of the CDC prompted the Oral Health Strategic Plan for 2011–2014, for the purpose to decrease dental caries, gum disease, oral cancer, and decrease disparities in oral health. The National Inter-professional Initiative’s 2012 Symposium on Oral Health and Primary Care: urges that it would take members of the primary clinical care and educational team outside of dentistry, such as medicine, physician assistants, nurses, and public health clinicians and educators, to share responsibility in preventing oral disease to have an impact in this global epidemic. Many Health Science/Public Health college programs offer minimal education or training in oral health issues. The purpose of this study was to determine if Junior and Senior college students who have declared Health Science as a major have adequate knowledge of oral health and preventive practices. A total of 122 students served as the sample for this study. College students had some appropriate knowledge on basic oral health topics, but were clearly limited on the others. Based on the data, the investigator concluded that Junior and Senior college students who declared Health Science as a major do not have adequate knowledge of oral health and preventive practices. Oral health training and education needs to be increased in Health Science college programs to ensure health clinicians and educators assume a greater role in preventing a huge global health concern and oral diseases.