Study motives, career choices and interest in paediatric dentistry among final year dental students in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Students' motives for studying Dentistry have been a subject of interest for years because of the potential for understanding the psychological makeup and subsequent job satisfaction for the dentist. It is also useful in identifying expectations of the profession. This study therefore tried to identify study motives and career preferences of dental students especially with respect to the practice of paediatric dentistry. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire. The final year students in six dental schools in Nigeria were required to fill the questionnaire. Students were asked to rank their motives and career preferences on a Likert like scale with points ranging from 0-5 where 0 represented a factor that had no influence on their decision and 5 represented a very influential factor. The underlying dimensions for study motives, career preference, impression about and motive for interest in the practice of paediatric dentistry were identified using factor analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy nine of 223 students (80.3%) participated in this study. Motives for the practice of dentistry included characteristics of the profession, altruism and intellectual challenges, existence of artistic theme in dentistry and parent's recommendation. Overall, 67.1% of respondents indicated interest in postgraduate studies and 50.8% were interested in paediatric dentistry practice. The main motives for showing interest in the practice of paediatric dentistry were 'personal interest, professional interest and interest of significant others in children', and 'family influence'. Significantly more males than females were interested in the practice of paediatric dentistry though the motives for interest in the practice of paediatric dentistry did not differ significantly by sex or age. CONCLUSION: The non-significant sex difference in the motives for interest in the practice of paediatric dentistry is a possible reflection of changes in strong cultural themes in the motives for career choices in Nigeria.

Determinants of preventive dental practice for children among final-year dental students in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to identify the determinants of caries prevention-oriented practice for children among final-year dental students in Nigeria. METHOD: A questionnaire was distributed to 179 final-year dental students in six dental schools in Nigeria. It requested information on age, gender, knowledge of caries prevention measures, self-perceived competency in providing caries-preventive care for children, and caries prevention-oriented practice for two hypothetical cases with high and low risk of caries. Chi-squares tests and logistic regression analysis were done. RESULTS: Between 24% and 41% of the respondents indicated their inability to determine the appropriate treatment modality for children with high and low caries risk. Majority of the students failed to differentiate between the caries-preventive practice for children with high and low risk of caries: preventive strategies for children with high caries risk were also used for those with low caries risk. Age, gender, knowledge of caries prevention measures, and self-perceived competency in providing caries-preventive care were not associated with student's capacity to provide caries-preventive practice for children. CONCLUSION: Caries-preventive practice among dental students in Nigeria could be improved. It may be important to explore the possible role of problem-based learning approach in addressing this challenge.

Halitosis: a review of the literature on its prevalence, impact and control.

Halitosis is the offensive or disagreeable odour that may emanate from the mouth. In 80%-90% of cases, bacterial activities especially on the dorsum of the tongue are implicated. Current studies on halitosis accessed from electronic databases were appraised in the light of prevalence, impact and control of halitosis. Halitosis has a worldwide occurrence with a prevalence range of 22% to 50%. Due to the associated social and psychological effects, it should be taken seriously in all affected patients. Oral healthcare professionals ought to be well informed, because their office(s) are usually the first points of call for the affected patients.

Determinants of preventive oral health behaviour among senior dental students in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: To study the association between oral health behaviour of senior dental students in Nigeria and their gender, age, knowledge of preventive care, and attitudes towards preventive dentistry. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered to 179 senior dental students in the six dental schools in Nigeria. The questionnaire obtained information on age, gender, oral self-care, knowledge of preventive dental care and attitudes towards preventive dentistry. Attending a dental clinic for check-up by a dentist or a classmate within the last year was defined as preventive care use. Students who performed oral self-care and attended dental clinic for check-ups were noted to have complied with recommended oral self-care. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression models were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: More male respondents agreed that the use of fluoride toothpaste was more important than the tooth brushing technique for caries prevention (P < 0.001). While the use of dental floss was very low (7.3%), more females were more likely to report using dental floss (p=0.03). Older students were also more likely to comply with recommended oral self-care (p<0.001). In binary regression models, respondents who were younger (p=0.04) and those with higher knowledge of preventive dental care (p=0.008) were more likely to consume sugary snacks less than once a day. CONCLUSION: Gender differences in the awareness of the superiority of using fluoridated toothpaste over brushing in caries prevention; and in the use of dental floss were observed. While older students were more likely to comply with recommended oral self-care measures, younger students with good knowledge of preventive dental care were more likely to consume sugary snacks less than once a day.