ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF UNDER GRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS OF NOBEL MEDICAL COLLEGE TEACHING HOSPITAL (NMCTH), BIRATNAGAR, NEPAL.

Introduction: Oral health-related quality of life represents the subjective experience of symptoms related to oral conditions that have an impact on well-being. 1The relation between the quality of life and oral health is defined as the evaluation, both from a personal and a medical point of view, of the way in which functional, psychological, social factors and traumatizing and uncomfortable experiences affect an individual?s well-being.2The purpose of the study was to determine oral health status of under graduate dental students of Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital, Biratnagar. Method: This pilot study was conducted at Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal between February2016 ?February 2017.The cases were evaluated for periodontal examination. The oral hygiene of six selected teeth was assessed using plaque index (PI) of Sillness and Loe (1964), gingival index (GI) of Loe and Silness (1963). Sterile dental mouth mirrors and explorers were used to assess plaque accumulation and William?s periodontal probe to assess the gingival status. The Community periodontal index was used to assess the periodontal status with a CPI probe Subjects were considered as having periodontitis, if the CPI score was (3 / 4) and non-periodontitis if the CPI score was (0, 1, 2). Results: In the present study a good oral hygiene was observed in most of the subjects and majority of the under graduate students followed a good oral hygiene practice. Conclusions: Due to their profession, dental students are expected to exhibit meticulous oral hygiene procedures as compared to the general public. However, the results of the present study reveal that the oral hygiene practice of the under graduate dental students of Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital is almost ideal.