Zeynep Çoban Büyükbayraktar - Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey
Cenk Doruk - Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Preventive orthodontics aids in the formation of normal occlusion. There have been numerous studies on this topic published in the literature. The purpose of this study was to assess final-year dental students' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy perceptions of preventive and interceptive orthodontic applications (PIOA).METHODS: Data were collected from ۴۱۰ dental students from eight different faculties in this cross-sectional study using a predesigned and validated self-administered, structured questionnaire. SPSS software was used to analyze the data, which included descriptive statistics, the independent samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Kuder-Ritchardson Formula ۲۰ (KR-۲۰) reliability coefficient. The statistical significance level was set at P ≤ ۰.۰۵.RESULTS: The vast majority of students (۷۱.۰%) did not believe that they were qualified to perform PIOA after graduation. With a rate of ۸۰.۵%, preventive treatment was chosen as the most important treatment type. The most correctly answered question, with a score of ۹۲.۴%, was about space maintainers. The total score was calculated to be ۹.۱۳ ± ۲.۷۳. There was a significant difference in total scores between men and women (P = ۰.۰۳۴۰). There was a significant difference in total scores between those who thought and those who did not think that enough time had been allocated to theoretical education (P = ۰.۰۰۰۱). The total score differed significantly from the responses to the question "Do you believe you have sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge about PIOA?" (P = ۰.۰۰۰۱).CONCLUSION: The women' knowledge level was higher than that of the men, and the students valued preventive measures. Experts should consider these findings when developing the core curriculum.

preventive orthodontics, interceptive orthodontics, Curriculum, Dental student, Knowledge