Dental and Periodontal Health Levels of Dental and Medical Faculty Students

NCT07425860 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: DentistryMedicineEducation
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 400
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this observational study is to investigate the relationship between periodontal and dental health status and oral health-related quality of life among dental and medical faculty students. The main question this study seeks to answer is: Do differences in periodontal and dental health status influence oral health-related quality of life in dental and medical students? Participants will include undergraduate students enrolled in dental and medical faculties. Periodontal and dental status will be assessed using standard clinical parameters such as plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and dental caries indices. Oral health-related quality of life will be evaluated using validated questionnaire instruments. The study aims to analyze potential associations between clinical oral health indicators and students' perceived oral health-related quality of life, as well as possible differences between the two academic groups.

Conditions

Periodontal Diseases; Caries Dentalis

Keywords

oral health; periodontal health; university; dentistry; medicine

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Clinical Periodontal Parameters (Plaque Index)

  Plaque Index (PI) (Silness and Löe, 1964) This index is used to evaluate the amount of dental plaque accumulation on tooth surfaces. Each tooth's four surfaces (buccal, lingual, mesial, distal) are examined using a probe or visually. Each surface is scored from 0 to 3. The average score is calculated for each tooth. The overall plaque index is obtained by averaging the scores from all examined teeth. Score Description 0 No plaque. 1 No visible plaque, but a slight film of plaque is detected when a probe is run along the gingival margin. 2 Visible plaque along the gingival margin, forming a continuous band. 3 Abundant plaque covering the gingival area and extending toward the middle of the tooth surface, including the interproximal spaces.

  Day 1

• Clinical Periodontal Parameters (Gingival Index)

  The Gingival Index is used to assess the presence and severity of gingival inflammation (gingivitis). Four surfaces of each tooth (buccal, lingual, mesial, distal) are examined visually and with a periodontal probe. The evaluation considers color changes, edema (swelling), tissue consistency, and bleeding on probing. Each surface is scored from 0 to 3. The average score per tooth is calculated, and then the overall average is used to determine the individual's GI score. Score Description 0 Healthy gingiva: normal color and texture, no bleeding 1 Mild inflammation: slight color change and swelling, no bleeding on probing 2 Moderate inflammation: redness, edema, soft tissue, bleeding on probing 3 Severe inflammation: marked redness and swelling, ulceration, possible spontaneous bleeding

  Day 1

• Periodontal Clinical Parametres (Bleeding on Probing Index)

  This index is used to assess the presence and severity of gingival inflammation by observing bleeding after gentle pressure is applied to the gingival sulcus using a periodontal probe. A thin periodontal probe is gently inserted into the gingival sulcus with light pressure (approximately 20-25 grams). Bleeding occurring within 10-30 seconds is observed. Each measurement site is recorded as either "bleeding present" or "bleeding absent." Presence of bleeding is an early and sensitive indicator of gingival inflammation. Score Description: 0 No bleeding 1 Bleeding present (mild or severe)

  Day 1

• Periodontal Clinical Parametres (Probing Pocket Depth)

  Using a Williams periodontal probe, the distance between the gingival margin and the base of the periodontal pocket is measured in millimeters at six sites per tooth: mesiobuccal, midbuccal, distobuccal, mesiolingual, midlingual, and distolingual. All teeth are measured. The values obtained from each site are summed and then divided by the total number of sites measured. This gives the average probing depth for the individual. Measurement Interpretation 1-3 mm Healthy sulcus 4-5 mm Shallow to moderate pocket ≥6 mm Deep periodontal pocket (advanced disease)

  Day 1

• Decayed Missing Filled Tooth (DMFT) Index

  D stands for decayed tooth

  Day 1

• Decayed Missing Filled Tooth (DMFT) Index

  M stands for tooth lost due to decay

  Day 1

• Decayed Missing Filled Tooth (DMFT) Index

  F stands for filled tooth

  Day 1

• Oral Health Impact Profile-14

  It is a scale that indicates a person's quality of life related to their oral health. The scale includes 14 items covering seven sub-dimensions: functional limitation, physical pain, psychological distress, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, and impairment. Participants rate the frequency of their experience with each item using a 5-point Likert scale (0=never, 1=rarely, 2=sometimes, 3=frequently, 4=always).

  Day 1

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Height

  Day 1

• Weight

  Day 1

Study Arms (2)

Dentistry students

Dental students in years 1-5 who are actively enrolled

Medicine students

Medical students in years 1-5 who are actively enrolled

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 23 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

This study includes students from the Faculty of Dentistry and the Faculty of Medicine at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University.

You may qualify if:

• Eligibility criteria include being enrolled in undergraduate studies (years 1-5),
• being systemically healthy,
• not having used antibiotics, antioxidants, or psychotropic drugs in the last 6 months,
• not smoking,
• not being obese or overweight,
• completing the survey within the specified timeframe.

You may not qualify if:

• Final year (6th year) medical students

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Periodontology of the Faculty of Dentistry of Recep Tayyip Erdogan University

Rize, Rize Province, 53020, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Periodontal Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mouth Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Target Duration: 1 Day
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 9, 2026
• First Posted: February 23, 2026
• Study Start: October 16, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 29, 2025
• Study Completion: January 5, 2026
• Last Updated: February 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)