An Investigation into Foreign Students’ Attitudes and Behaviours Regarding Oral and Dental Health

Derya Fatma Biçer; Muhammet Gümüş; Abdullah Mısırlıoğlu

doi:10.7126/cumudj.1794053

EN TR

An Investigation into Foreign Students’ Attitudes and Behaviours Regarding Oral and Dental Health

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the socio-demographic characteristics of international students studying at a state university, their level of knowledge regarding oral and dental health, and their attitudes and behaviours towards this subject. Method: The study population consists of international students enrolled at xxxxx University. The research was conducted between May 15, 2024, and November 15, 2024, covering a total population of 600 students. The sample group included 227 students who voluntarily participated in the study. Data were collected through face-to-face and online questionnaires. The Oral Health Attitude Scale, developed by Fidan et al. (2023), was used in the study. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 software package. Since the assumptions of parametric tests were not met, the Mann-Whitney U test was applied for comparisons between two groups, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was applied for comparisons among three or more groups. Furthermore, the relationships between the socio-demographic characteristics of students and their oral health attitudes and behaviours were evaluated. Results: Among the participants, 62.6% were male and 37.4% were female; 52% were between the ages of 17–20, 33.5% were between 21–24, and 14.5% were 25 years and older. In terms of educational level, 55.1% of the participants were undergraduate students, 27.8% were associate degree students, and 17.2% were enrolled in graduate programs. Regarding family income levels, 26.4% reported an income of 26,000 TL or below, 26.4% between 26,001–45,000 TL, 26.4% between 45,001–60,000 TL, and 20.7% reported an income of 60,001 TL or above. Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal that international students have not received sufficient education regarding oral and dental health. Therefore, it is important to plan educational programs on oral and dental health for international students in Türkiye and to increase their awareness in this field. Adequate oral health directly influences an individual’s overall well-being and plays a crucial role in functions such as speaking, smiling, and contributing positively to social interactions.

Keywords

YABANCI Uyruklu Öğrencilerin Ağız VE Diş Sağlığına İlişkin TUTUM ve Davranışlarının İncelenmesi

Öz

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, bir devlet üniversitesinde öğrenim gören uluslararası öğrencilerin sosyo-demografik özellikleri ile ağız ve diş sağlığı konusundaki bilgi düzeyleri ve bu konudaki tutumlarının incelenmesidir. Yöntem: Araştırmanın evrenini, xxxxx Üniversitesinde öğrenim görmekte olan uluslararası öğrenciler oluşturmaktadır. Çalışma, 15 Mayıs 2024 ile 15 Kasım 2024 tarihleri arasında yürütülmüş olup, evreni 600 öğrenci kapsamaktadır. Örneklem grubunu ise araştırmaya gönüllü olarak katılan 227 öğrenci oluşturmuştur. Veriler, yüz yüze ve çevrim içi anket yöntemleri aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Araştırmada, Fidan ve ark. (2023) tarafından geliştirilen Ağız Sağlığı Tutum Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler, SPSS 23.0 paket programında analiz edilmiştir. Ölçek puanlarının karşılaştırılmasında parametrik test varsayımları sağlanamadığından, ikili gruplarda Mann-Whitney U testi, üç ve daha fazla grupta ise Kruskal-Wallis H testi uygulanmıştır. Ayrıca öğrencilerin sosyo-demografik özellikleri ile ağız sağlığı tutumları arasındaki ilişkiler değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerin %62,6’sı erkek, %37,4’ü kadın olup; %52’si 17–20 yaş aralığında, %33,5’i 21–24 yaş aralığında ve %14,5’i 25 yaş ve üzerindedir. Öğrenim düzeylerine göre katılımcıların %55,1’i lisans, %27,8’i ön lisans ve %17,2’si lisansüstü programlarda eğitim görmektedir. Katılımcıların aile gelir düzeyleri incelendiğinde, %26,4’ü 26.000 TL ve altı, %26,4’ü 26.001–45.000 TL arası, %26,4’ü 45.001–60.000 TL arası ve %20,7’si 60.001 TL ve üzeri gelire sahip olduklarını belirtmiştir. Sonuç: Çalışmanın bulguları, uluslararası öğrencilerin ağız ve diş sağlığı konusunda yeterli düzeyde eğitim almadıklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Bu nedenle, Türkiye’ye gelen uluslararası öğrencilere yönelik ağız ve diş sağlığı eğitimlerinin planlanması ve bu alandaki farkındalıklarının artırılması önem arz etmektedir. Nitelikli ağız sağlığı, bireyin genel refahı üzerinde doğrudan etkili olup; konuşma, gülümseme ve sosyal ilişkilerde yaratıcı katkılar sağlama gibi işlevlerde belirleyici bir rol oynamaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Sağlığa Yönelik Tutum, Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı, Uluslararası Öğrenci, Sağlık

Anahtar Kelimeler

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Dental Public Health

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Derya Fatma Biçer ^*
0000-0002-3359-1236
Türkiye

Muhammet Gümüş
0000-0003-1278-6234
Türkiye

Abdullah Mısırlıoğlu
0000-0001-8520-7403
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 29, 2025

Submission Date

September 30, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 13, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 28 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1794053

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA85YK38ML

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

EndNote

Biçer DF, Gümüş M, Mısırlıoğlu A (December 1, 2025) An Investigation into Foreign Students’ Attitudes and Behaviours Regarding Oral and Dental Health. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal 28 4 575–585.