Comparative Study among Kirkuk University Students on Oral Health Knowledge and Attitudes

Background: Dental and pharmacy students are at the frontline of patient contact, so they need to be role models to their patients and communities about oral health and oral care, which is closely linked to the development of many dental and systemic diseases.
Aim of the study: To assess the self-reported dental and oral health behaviours of Iraqi dental and pharmacy students in Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study involving 300 participants, 178 dental students and 122 pharmacy students in their final year at the university. Hard copies of the questionnaire were distributed and included questions to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices in various oral health topics. Frequency analysis and chi-square tests were then used to determine the differences between the dental and pharmacy students on the topics in question.
Results: The positive responses to questions in all three domains showed a significant positive difference in favour of the dental students in 25 out of 29 questions. 89% of the dental students recognised the relationship between oral health and general health, whereas 70% of the pharmacy students shared this awareness (p-value=0.000). Dental students excelled in understanding the purpose of tooth brushing, with 96% recognising its role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease, whereas 73% of the pharmacy students recognised this relationship (p-value=0.000).
Conclusions: Dental students outperformed pharmacy students in their knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral health.