Dental Status of Dental Students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Students of Isfahan University Based on ICDASII Index

To assess dental caries from an epidemiologic viewpoint, it is necessary to use an exact, valid, and reliable index. This study aimed to assess dental status of senior and junior dental students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and students of Isfahan University using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDASII) index.
In this study, 70 senior dental students, 70 junior dental students, and 70 students from Isfahan University (a total of 210 students) were randomly selected. Oral examinations were conducted in the dental clinic on a dental chair using dental explorers and mirrors. Tooth surfaces were evaluated in both dry and wet conditions and ICDASII codes were recorded. Chi-squar, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and GLM analyses were used for the analysis of data (α = 0.05).
None of the students had all tooth surfaces with no caries. Only 19 students had codes 00 to 02 (primary enamel caries). The most frequent code was 01 on occlusal surfaces. Buccal and lingual surfaces of the teeth showed the lowest caries rate. The most frequent code for dentinal caries was 04. GLM analysis showed the highest dental caries rate in Isfahan University students, followed by junior students than senior dental students (p value = 0.001). University students with highly educated mothers exhibited less dental caries (p value Assessment of dental caries with ICDASII index can provide detailed information for prevention and treatment. Enamel caries was the most prevalent dental caries among the students. Dental caries was more severe among the students of Isfahan University, while the senior dental students exhibiting the lowest caries rate. Educational or extra-curricular programs are suggested to be prepared to improve oral health of university students.