What is it about?
This study explores why people choose to attend—or avoid—preventive dental care. Preventive care includes regular dental check-ups and daily oral hygiene practices that help avoid serious oral health problems. Despite its importance, many people in Türkiye do not regularly visit the dentist unless they experience pain. To better understand this, the study combines two well-known health behavior theories with psychological factors such as trust in dentists and dental anxiety. Data were collected from 523 adults in Ankara using a survey. The findings show that people are more likely to intend to attend preventive dental care when they believe it is beneficial, perceive risks of oral diseases, and feel social support from others. However, dental anxiety reduces both intention and actual attendance. Trust in dentists plays a key role by shaping people’s beliefs and reducing anxiety, which indirectly encourages preventive behavior. Overall, the study highlights that improving trust and addressing fear are essential for promoting regular dental visits and better oral health.
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Why is it important?
This study is important because preventive dental care remains underutilized in Türkiye, contributing to high rates of oral diseases. By integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Health Belief Model with trust and dental anxiety, this research provides a more comprehensive explanation of preventive dental behaviors than prior studies. The findings show that trust does not directly influence intention but works through beliefs and anxiety, offering new insight into how behavioral change occurs. This highlights the importance of addressing emotional and relational factors—not just knowledge—in health interventions. The results can inform policymakers and healthcare providers in designing more effective oral health programs, particularly those focused on reducing dental anxiety, improving patient–dentist communication, and building trust. These efforts can increase preventive dental attendance, reduce treatment costs, and improve overall public health outcomes.
Perspectives
From my perspective, this study highlights how preventive health behaviors are not driven solely by rational decision-making but are deeply shaped by emotions and interpersonal experiences. While traditional models focus on beliefs and intentions, this research shows that trust and anxiety can significantly influence whether individuals act on those intentions. Working on this study also emphasized the importance of context. In Türkiye, where preventive dental care is still developing, understanding these psychological and social dynamics is essential for creating meaningful change. I believe this research contributes to bridging theory and practice by offering insights that are both academically relevant and practically applicable. It also opens the door for future research to explore similar integrated models in other healthcare contexts.
Faten AlQaifi
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: FACTORS INFLUENCING PREVENTIVE ORAL CARE BEHAVIORS: APPLYING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR AND HEALTH BELIEF MODEL, Gazi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, March 2026, Gazi University,
DOI: 10.52881/gsbdergi.1879883.
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