Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of “Community Oral and Dental Health” course on the oral and dental health awareness of nursing students from two different faculties.

Materials and Methods: 164 nursing students who took “Community Oral and Dental Health” course at Kırıkkale University and 230 nursing students from Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University who did not take the same course were subjected to the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of multiple choice questions based on oral and dental health awareness. The statistical analysis was performed with Pearson or Fisher’s exact chi square tests.

Results: Although, there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between the mouthwash and dental floss use, there was a statistically significant difference between tooth brushing habits of the students (p<0.05). Also, the groups' awareness of the symptoms and affective factors of periodontal diseases did not indicate statistically significant differences (p>0.05). The concept “Children who have dental caries in their mothers are more likely to have it” was better known by the students taking the course (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of the cause of dental caries (being infected with caries bacteria at an early age, p=0.001).

Conclusions: The oral and dental health awareness increased among nursing students taking the “Community Oral and Dental Health” course. Since, the nurses are potential candidates for public health education and even oral health assessments, inclusion of this course in the nursing curriculum will increase public awareness and improve oral health.