Abstract
Objectives : This study aimed to research subjective recognition of oral health, oral disease prevention, and knowledge of oral health among high school students to provide basic data necessary to develop an oral health education program for helping them prevent oral diseases and improve oral health in the future. Methods : Respondents' general characteristics and knowledge of oral health were estimated at frequency and percentage, and chi-square $(x^2)$ test was carried out to make a comparison for subjective recognition of oral health and oral disease prevention by general characteristics. ANOVA was used to get scores concerning knowledge of oral health care by general characteristics, and Pearson correlation was used to analyze correlation between recognition of oral health, oral disease prevention, and knowledge of oral health. Results : The findings of the study were as follows: 1. The percentage of those who had visited a dental clinic (hospital) within the previous one year (p<0.01) and had a regular oral examination (p<0.05) was higher in female students than in male ones, and percentage of those who had experienced oral health education (p<0.01) and who had regular oral examination (p<0.001) was highest in 11th graders. The percentage of those who used oral health products (p<0.01) and had pit and fissure sealing (p<0.01) was significantly higher among low-grade students, and the percentage of those who had scaling (p<0.01) was significantly higher among high-grade students. 2. Knowledge of oral health management was higher in female students (12.6) than in male ones (11.2) (p<0.001). Conclusions : A systematic oral health education program is necessary to help high school students improve recognition, prevention, and knowledge concerning oral health care, and continuous attention and efforts must be given to activate continuous oral health care implemented at the elementary level by inducing secondary school students to go on with it.