Evaluation of oral health behavior of female dental hygiene students and interns of Saudi Arabia by using Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI).

AIM To evaluate and compare oral health behavior of female dental hygiene students/interns (stu/int) studying in private and government universities of Saudi Arabia. METHODS An English version of Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) was self-administered by 85 dental hygiene stu/int of government and private university colleges and responses were collected. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, logistic regression models and independent t tests were performed. RESULTS A significantly higher mean HU-DBI score was observed among the clinical dental hygiene stu/int (7.50 ± 1.55) and students of government universities (7.59 ± 1.72) as compared to the preclinical students (6.61 ± 2.03) stu/int studying in private university (6.69 ± 1.46). CONCLUSION Considerable differences in oral health behaviours were observed between dental hygiene stu/int of government and private universities and preclinical and clinical level of dental hygiene education.