Wang Wei, Xiao Changjie, Li Siyi, Li Min, Zheng Fuju, Shang Luxiang, Li Rui
Department of Endodontics, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, Jinan, 250001, China.
Department of VIP Dental Service, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, Jinan, 250001, China.
BMC Oral Health. 2025 May 3;25(1):683. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-06030-1.
Oral health literacy (OHL) plays a crucial role in improving oral health outcomes. Due to their academic background, medical students are presumed to have higher OHL levels than students in other disciplines. However, few studies have directly compared OHL and oral health behaviors between medical and non-medical students.
This cross-sectional study recruited undergraduate students from seven universities in Shandong, China. A total of 2,695 students completed an online survey between August and September 2024. The questionnaire collected information on demographic characteristics, OHL, and oral health-related behaviors. OHL was measured using the validated Chinese version of the short-form Dental Health Literacy Scale (HeLD-14). Data were analyzed using t-tests, chi-square tests, and mediation analysis conducted with the PROCESS macro in SPSS.
Among the participants, 1,572 (58.3%) were medical students. Medical students scored significantly higher on the HeLD-14 total score than non-medical students (56.96 ± 11.04 vs. 54.59 ± 11.24, P < 0.001), with consistently higher scores across all dimensions. In terms of oral health behaviors, medical students were more likely to brush after late-night snacks, use fluoride toothpaste, and floss regularly compared to non-medical students (all P < 0.05). Mediation analysis showed that OHL partially mediated the relationship between academic major and these oral health behaviors.
Medical students exhibit higher OHL and healthier oral health behaviors compared to non-medical students. Enhancing OHL among non-medical students may foster better oral health behaviors and improve overall oral health outcomes.
口腔健康素养（OHL）在改善口腔健康状况方面起着至关重要的作用。由于医学专业学生的学术背景，他们被认为比其他学科的学生具有更高的口腔健康素养水平。然而，很少有研究直接比较医学专业和非医学专业学生的口腔健康素养及口腔健康行为。
这项横断面研究招募了来自中国山东七所大学的本科生。2024年8月至9月期间，共有2695名学生完成了一项在线调查。问卷收集了人口统计学特征、口腔健康素养和口腔健康相关行为的信息。使用经过验证的中文版简化牙科健康素养量表（HeLD-14）来测量口腔健康素养。数据采用t检验、卡方检验，并使用SPSS中的PROCESS宏进行中介分析。
在参与者中，1572名（58.3%）是医学专业学生。医学专业学生在HeLD-14总分上的得分显著高于非医学专业学生（56.96±11.04对54.59±11.24，P<0.001），在所有维度上的得分均持续较高。在口腔健康行为方面，与非医学专业学生相比，医学专业学生在吃夜宵后更有可能刷牙、使用含氟牙膏和定期使用牙线（所有P<0.05）。中介分析表明，口腔健康素养部分中介了专业与这些口腔健康行为之间的关系。
与非医学专业学生相比，医学专业学生表现出更高的口腔健康素养和更健康的口腔健康行为。提高非医学专业学生的口腔健康素养可能会促进更好的口腔健康行为，改善整体口腔健康状况。
