Objectives: The aim of the present study was to re-establish and update empirical data obtained in 1985 and 1995 using the dental attitudes questionnaire (DAQ). In 1984, this instrument for assessing oral health care attitudes was presented by Stockwell and Banting. The DAQ has six content scales: cynicism, health concern, motivation, oral function, social aesthetic and susceptibility, and two validity scales, halo and infrequency.
Methods: The DAQ was completed in a similar setting using similar subjects in 1985, 1995, and 2001. Subjects were first-year psychology students who participated for course credit.
Results: A high level of agreement among respondents was found in their ranking of attitudinal factors. The mean scores on most subscales were lower in 1995 and 2001 than in 1985. In 2001, respondents scored higher on the subscale 'motivation', and lower on the subscales 'cynicism' and 'social aesthetic' than subjects in 1995.
Conclusion: Some changes have occurred in dental health care attitudes as measured by the DAQ during the intervals between the three studies. Subjects in 2001 showed less suspicion regarding the motives of dental health care professionals and downplayed more need for regular dental checkups and oral hygiene than subjects in former years. The psychometric qualities of the DAQ were considered to be satisfactory.