Using the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Assess Adults' Intentions of Preventive Dental Care.

Objective: The objective of this study was to test an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) that includes attitudes, subjective norms and self-efficacy, sociodemographic variables, dental beliefs and insurance on the intention to seek preventive dental care among adults in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 397 Saudi adults living in Makkah. Data were collected through a self-administered online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the various factors that affect the likelihood of people seeking dental care. Results: The results of the study revealed that perceived norms (estimate = 0.14; P = 0.004) and self-efficacy (estimate = 0.22; P < 0.001) were associated with the likelihood of people getting preventive dental care. However, attitudes showed no effect on the likelihood of people seeking dental care. The study also explained that the relationship between the beliefs of people and the intention to receive preventive care was moderated by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (indirect effect t = 0.089, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The study's results revealed that an integrative model of behavior prediction could be used to design effective interventions and strategies to enhance the likelihood of individuals seeking preventive dental care. In particular, these strategies should focus on enhancing subjective norms and self-efficacy.

The association between smartphone use and sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness among health care students and workers in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The use of smartphones among the general public and health care practitioners, in particular, is ubiquitous. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness among health care students and workers in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire to collect data on smartphone addiction, sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness as well as demographic information. RESULTS: A total of 773 health care students and workers participated in the study, with an average age of 25.95 ± 8.35, and 59.6% female participants. The study found a positive significant association between smartphone addiction and psychological distress (F(1,771) = 140.8, P < 0.001) and emotional loneliness (F(1,771) = 26.70, P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant negative association between smartphone addiction and sleep quality was found (F(1,771) = 4.208, P = 0.041). However, there was no significant relationship between smartphone addiction and social loneliness (F (1,771) = 0.544, P < 0.461). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that smartphone addiction has a negative impact on psychological distress, sleep quality, and emotional loneliness among health care students and workers. It is important to promote strategies to reduce smartphone dependency in order to avoid the harmful consequences of smartphone addiction.

Antibiotic Prescription During Endodontic Treatment: Knowledge and Practices of Dental Interns in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Antibiotics are widely used in dental practice, especially for endodontic infections. The present survey aimed to investigate the knowledge and practices of dental interns in Saudi Arabia regarding antibiotic prescription for endodontic treatment. Methods: The present online questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study involved dental interns in private and public dental schools, Saudi Arabia. A pre-validated questionnaire was distributed to 900 dental interns via different social media platforms. The questionnaire consisted of 16 close-ended questions related to participants' demographic data and knowledge and practices of antibiotic prescription in context of endodontic treatments. Data were managed and analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 25, and Chi-square test was used to compare between the groups. Results: A total of 555 dental interns completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 61.1%. Overall, the surveyed participants revealed inadequate knowledge and unnecessary use of antibiotics during endodontic procedures. While majority of the participants (75.3%) correctly identified the first choice of antibiotics during endodontic treatments, a considerable proportion of the participants did not recognize the clinical indications of antibiotics in endodontic patients. Additionally, around one-fifth (18.9%) of the participants were unaware of the potential side effects of the prescribed antibiotics. Conclusion: The present survey revealed unsatisfactory knowledge and practices of antibiotic prescription in context of endodontic therapy among Saudi dental interns. Therefore, dental schools in Saudi Arabia should address such a gap through updating the curriculum and integrating real-world clinical scenarios using problem-based learning. Additionally, periodic continuous education courses aiming at improving dental professionals' knowledge about antibiotics and their clinical uses for endodontic therapy are highly encouraged.

Modeling the theory of planned behavior to predict adults' intentions to improve oral health behaviors.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to apply the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify predictors of adults' intentions to improve oral health behaviors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,328 adults living in the Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. A 64-item questionnaire that evaluated behavioral intention, oral health knowledge (OHK) and TPB constructs (attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms) was distributed. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to describe the data and examine the associations among the variables. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that the TPB model explained 72% of the variance in oral health behavioral intentions (OHBI), indicating a good model fit. The TPB constructs of attitudes (ß = 0.299), subjective norms (ß = 0.035), and perceived behavioral control (ß = 0.144) were significant predictors of OHBI, whereas OHK was not. Attitude was the strongest predictor of intentions to improve oral health behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that this model could be a helpful framework for designing oral health promotion and intervention programs. Such programs should focus on changing adults' attitudes, positive influences from close relationships, and improving self-efficacy of OHB to improve their oral health behavior.