Oral health status of middle school students in Jeddah: A learning experience outside the classroom

Objective: Outreach activities are one of the essential components of dental education that would help the students understand the community's oral health needs. The study aimed to engage dental undergraduate students in measuring their oral health status using four dental indices among middle school students. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted as a part of an oral health education program in two public schools in Jeddah. Consent was obtained from both school students and parents. Two calibrated examiners measured the dental status using Ramfjord's calculus index, decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, simplified debris index, and modified gingival index. An independent statistician did data analysis using SPSS ver 23. Results: Male students showed statistically significant higher scores for debris index, calculus index, and gingival index compared to female students (P < 0.001). The mean D and M component DMFT indices were significantly higher in female students (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The variations in oral health status between students can be attributed to differences in oral hygiene practices and other sociodemographic factors, including ethnicity and socioeconomic status. This study showed a positive learning experience for dental students in assessing the oral health status of schoolchildren.