Application of the Health Belief Model in Oral Health Promotion and Preventive Dentistry: A Narrative Review

Oral diseases are among the most widespread non-communicable diseases globally, affecting around 3.5 billion people and their health, quality of life, and economic productivity. Despite being preventable, their incidence continues to increase because preventive oral health practices are not sufficiently adopted or maintained. Understanding factors influencing health-related behaviours is crucial for promoting oral health and preventive dentistry. The Health Belief Model (HBM), developed in the 1950s by social psychologists with the United States Public Health Service, is a widely used behavioural theory for explaining and predicting preventive health behaviours. It proposes that perceived disease risk, seriousness, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-confidence shape health decisions. For over seventy years, the HBM has been used in health promotion, including vaccination, chronic disease prevention, medication adherence, tobacco cessation, and oral health promotion. In dentistry, interventions improved oral hygiene and the use of preventive services. This narrative review outlines the model's development, components, applications, strengths, weaknesses, and future integration with digital health technologies to improve oral health outcomes.