SUMMARY
In line with the smoking ban at the Osaka Dental University Hospital, a survey was conducted on the
smoking status of students who aspire to become dentists, dental hygienists, and dental technicians, their
opinions on the total smoking ban on the hospital premises, and their lifestyle habits. This survey was
conducted to help improve non-smoking education in the future. The survey targeted 634 first-year to thirdyear students of the School of Dentistry and Faculty of Health Sciences during the 2019 academic year to
obtain the information necessary for non-smoking education and cessation support measures and lifestyle
improvements. A total of 398 first-year to third-year students of the School of Dentistry and 236 students of
the Faculty of Health Sciences were targeted for the survey, and responses were obtained from 542 students
(321 in the School of Dentistry and 221 in the Faculty of Health Sciences) after excluding non-eligible
participants. There were 15 (4.7%) smokers in the School of Dentistry and 7 (3.2%) in the Faculty of Health
Sciences. The percentage of students who had not received non-smoking education was 36.1% in the School
of Dentistry and 48.9% in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and there was a significant difference between the
two schools. Regardless of whether they smoked or not, 22.7% of students of the School of Dentistry and
10.3% of students of the Faculty of Health Sciences students drank at least once a week while 76.3% of those
at the School of Dentistry and 53.7% of Faculty of Health Sciences students ate out at least once per week,
and both percentages were higher in the School of Dentistry. Part-time jobs were performed by 47.1% of
students in the School of Dentistry and 84.3% of those in the Faculty of Health Sciences, with the Faculty of
Health Sciences students being significantly more likely to do so. In particular, those who had not received
non-smoking education were more likely to drink in restaurants, eat out, and work part-time, and were more
likely to be exposed to passive smoking. Although the number of smokers is low considering the percentage
of adults who smoke, in light of these facts, we must also tell them that they may be in the same situation as
smokers, including those who had received providing non-smoking education.
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