Intervention study on the impact of “Oral Preventive Medicine” course on oral health literacy among undergraduate preventive medicine students_West China Medical Journal

Authors：

HE Libang ¹ , TAO Yunfeng ² , LIU Shuang ³ , SHAO Meiying ³ ,  XU Jue ³

1. Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China School of Stomatology / West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China;
2. West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China;
3. Department of Stomatology, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China;

Corresponding?author：

XU Jue, Email: xujue1212@qq.com

Keywords：

Oral health literacy; oral preventive medicine; curriculum practice; teaching reform

DOI：

10.7507/1002-0179.202503184

Video：

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Objective To evaluate the changes in oral health knowledge, behavior and attitude of undergraduate students majoring in preventive medicine before and after the course “Oral Preventive Medicine”, and to provide empirical evidence for the teaching reform of preventive medicine undergraduate programs, thereby enhancing teaching effectiveness and the significance of the course. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among the undergraduate students majoring in preventive medicine at the West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University in 2024, before and after the compulsory course “Oral Preventive Medicine”. Results A total of 124 undergraduate students majoring in preventive medicine were surveyed. After the course, undergraduate students majoring in preventive medicine had changed their oral related knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes. The correctness of the answers and the usage rate of Bass brushing technique were both increased; The self-evaluation of oral health status (χ²=5.017, P=0.025) and brushing effect (χ²=22.200, P<0.001) were both improved; The perceived benefits of brushing (t=2.515, P=0.013) and behavioral intention to brush teeth (t=5.381, P<0.001) were both improved, while the perceived barriers to brushing was reduced (t=?3.999, P<0.001). Conclusions The course “Oral Preventive Medicine” effectively enhanced the oral health literacy of undergraduate students majoring in preventive medicine, confirming its practical value in undergraduate teaching reform. It provides an important reference for optimizing the curriculum system of preventive medicine, has positive significance for cultivating public health talents with comprehensive health literacy.

Citation： HE Libang, TAO Yunfeng, LIU Shuang, SHAO Meiying, XU Jue. Intervention study on the impact of “Oral Preventive Medicine” course on oral health literacy among undergraduate preventive medicine students. West China Medical Journal, 2025, 40(7): 1145-1150. doi: 10.7507/1002-0179.202503184 Copy

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20.	王晨, 王曉莉, 蔡景一. 某高校預防醫學專業課程設置狀況分析. 中華醫學教育雜志, 2017, 37(3): 371-375.
21.	石慧峰, 王晨, 蔡景一, 等. 以目標為導向的預防醫學專業課程體系研究. 中華預防醫學雜志, 2018, 52(3): 318-321.
22.	王宏, 邱景富, 何俊琳, 等. 預防醫學專業課程體系改革初探. 中華醫學教育探索雜志, 2011, 10(2): 227-230.
23.	章和平, 陳作良, 何群. 口腔預防需求狀況分析及對策——談中等口腔預防醫學教育改革. 衛生職業教育, 2001(4): 25-26.
24.	汪玲, 鄒和建, 熊思東, 等. 國外醫學門類學科專業設置及其啟示. 中華醫學教育雜志, 2006, 26(4): 90-93.
25.	Zhou X, Xu X, Li J, et al. Oral health in China: from vision to action. Int J Oral Sci, 2018, 10(1): 1.

1. Fiorillo L. Oral health: the first step to well-being. Medicina (Kaunas), 2019, 55(10): 676.
2. Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T. Local and systemic mechanisms linking periodontal disease and inflammatory comorbidities. Nat Rev Immunol. 2021, 21(7): 426-440.
3. GBD 2021 diseases and injuries collaborators. Global incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet, 2024, 403(10440): 2133-2161.
4. Jiao J, Jing W, Si Y, et al. The prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in Mainland China: data from the fourth national oral health survey (2015-2016). J Clin Periodontol, 2021, 48(2): 168-179.
5. Denis F, Clement C. Oral health: a major global public health concern. J Clin Med, 2025, 14(12): 4101.
6. 徐琪, 趙春琰, 張含吟, 等. 醫防融合視角下公共衛生人才隊伍建設研究. 中國農村衛生事業管理, 2025, 45(1): 60-63.
7. 趙莉, 劉毅, 馬驍, 等. 預防醫學專業本科人才培養與課程分析——以四川大學等預防醫學專業為例. 中國大學教學, 2017(11): 34-38.
8. Wang Y, Zhu J, Xu Z, et al. Social support, oral health knowledge, attitudes, practice, self-efficacy and oral health-related quality of life in Chinese college students. Sci Rep, 2023, 13(1): 12320.
9. BenGhasheer HF, Saub R. Relationships of acculturative stress, perceived stress, and social support with oral health-related quality of life among international students in Malaysia: a structural equation modelling. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent, 2020, 10(4): 520-531.
10. Hashemi ZS, Khorsandi M, Shamsi M, et al. Effect combined learning on oral health self-efficacy and self-care behaviors of students: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Oral Health. 2021, 21(1): 342.
11. 蘇濤, 朱玥, 汪張毅, 等. 計劃行為理論在口腔健康行為中應用的研究進展. 護理研究, 2024, 38(12): 2194-2198.
12. Rodakowska E, Kierklo A, Jamio?kowski J. Self-reported oral health behaviour among scandinavian and polish medical students studying in Poland. Cent Eur J Public Health, 2016, 24(1): 68-75.
13. Vaezipour Z, Gharlipour ZG, Mohebi S, et al. Effect of education on promoting preventive behaviors of oral and dental problems: applying health belief model. Health Educ Health Promot, 2018, 6(4): 135-141.
14. Moore J, Bond K, Turner LW. Reducing chronic disease risk through positive oral health practices: a systematic review of school-based dental health programs. Am J Health Educ, 2022, 53(3): 133-141.
15. Oveisi S, Zahedifar F, Atashgar E, et al. Prediction of dental caries preventive behaviors using health belief model (HBM). Health Educ Health Promot, 2019, 7(3): 105-109.
16. Mohammadkhah F, Ramezankhani A, Atashpoosh A, et al. Effect of training based on health belief model and behavioral intention on improving dental and oral self-care behavior in 9-12-year-old Iranian female students. BMC Oral Health, 2022, 22(1): 515.
17. Kazemi Z, Shojaeezadeh D, Jalili Z. The effect of educational interventions based on health belief model (HBM) on puberty health behaviors in Tehran’s female elementary students, 2019. Iran J Health Educ Health Promot, 2020, 8(2): 142-159.
18. Wu T, Li L. Evolution of public health education in China. Am J Public Health, 2017, 107(12): 1893-1895.
19. 龔政. 綜合大學預防醫學專業課程體系與教學模式改革研究. 蘇州: 蘇州大學, 2005.
20. 王晨, 王曉莉, 蔡景一. 某高校預防醫學專業課程設置狀況分析. 中華醫學教育雜志, 2017, 37(3): 371-375.
21. 石慧峰, 王晨, 蔡景一, 等. 以目標為導向的預防醫學專業課程體系研究. 中華預防醫學雜志, 2018, 52(3): 318-321.
22. 王宏, 邱景富, 何俊琳, 等. 預防醫學專業課程體系改革初探. 中華醫學教育探索雜志, 2011, 10(2): 227-230.
23. 章和平, 陳作良, 何群. 口腔預防需求狀況分析及對策——談中等口腔預防醫學教育改革. 衛生職業教育, 2001(4): 25-26.
24. 汪玲, 鄒和建, 熊思東, 等. 國外醫學門類學科專業設置及其啟示. 中華醫學教育雜志, 2006, 26(4): 90-93.
25. Zhou X, Xu X, Li J, et al. Oral health in China: from vision to action. Int J Oral Sci, 2018, 10(1): 1.

West China Medical Journal

Intervention study on the impact of “Oral Preventive Medicine” course on oral health literacy among undergraduate preventive medicine students

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