The Life-course Approach in Assessment of Dental Health: A Cross Sectional Study among Finnish and Turkish Pre-adolescents Ayse Basak Cinara Heikki Murtomaab Battsetseg Tseveenjavc AbStRACt Objectives: Interest is growing on conceptualizing dental disease aetiology under the life-course approach. The aim of this study was to assess the association of dental caries experience with the major components of life-course approach, health- and behavioral capital, among Turkish and Finnish pre-adolescents, with different family-related characteristics, as this association has not been explored yet. Methods: A cross-sectional study of Finnish (n=338) and Turkish (n=611) pre-adolescents was undertaken with questionnaires and oral health data. Results: Turkish pre-adolescents, more dentally diseased (84%) than the Finnish (33%) (P<.01), had lower means of health (body height-weight) and behavioural (self-esteem, tooth-brushing self- efficacy) capital, (P<.01). Finnish pre-adolescents were less likely to live in two-parent families (P=.001) and spent less time with their mothers (P<.05). Turkish pre-adolescents with high levels of self-esteem were more likely to spend time with their mothers and less likely to live in families with three or more children (28%) than were their counterparts with low levels of self-esteem (41%). Such associations were not evident among Finnish pre-adolescents (P>.05). Health capital, in terms of body height, and family-related characteristics in differing patterns, contributed to DMFT, in common, among Turkish and Finnish pre-adolescents. Self-esteem, behavioural capital was explanatory variable for DMFT only for the Turks. Conclusions: Dental health of pre-adolescents was associated with health- and behavioural capital in different pathways under the influence of family-related characteristics. The cooperation of paediatricians and dentists is vital in assessment of general and dental health in a holistic context throughout the life-course, to enhance the well-being of pre-adolescents. (Eur J Dent 2008;2:153-160) Key words: Life-course approach; Dental health; Body height-weight; Self-esteem; Pre- adolescents; Family-related characteristics. a PhD student, Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki. b Professor, Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki. c Dr, Helsinki City Health Department. Corresponding author: Ayse Basak Cinar Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box- 41, FIN 00014. E-mail: basak.cinar@helsinki.fi July 2008 - Vol.2 INtRoduCtIoN The life-course approach, recently popular in conceptualizing chronic disease aetiology, proposes assessing the effects of physical and psycho-social exposures on chronic disease risk at different stages of life such as gestation, childhood, and adolescence.1,2 Exposure to one factor at one stage of life is likely to be connected with exposure to other factors at another life stage, 153 European Journal of Dentistry