Gender-specific oral health attitudes and behaviour among dental students in Palestine

ABSTRACT

This study assessed gender differences in oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour among undergraduate dental students in Palestine. Students aged 18-22 years at Al Quds University [n = 260] completed the English version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory. Females had more positive dental health attitudes and behaviours [making regular visits the dentist, being more educated about professional toothbrushing and taking more care with brushing their teeth]. Half the students of both sexes thought they could not avoid having false teeth when they were old. Some aspects of oral health behaviour and attitudes were different between males and females, but in other aspects professional training may have compensated for these differences