Asian Journal of Dental Sciences

Background: Maintaining oral hygiene can be challenging for adolescents wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. Evidence on the relationship between perceived health education quality and oral hygiene practices in private high school settings remains limited.

Aims: One of the challenges of maintaining good oral hygiene during fixed orthodontic therapy in adolescents is increased plaque accumulation around brackets and wires. The objective of this study was to determine the quality of health education received and oral hygiene practices among high school students with fixed orthodontic braces at a selected private high school in Iloilo City, Philippines. 

Study Design: A quantitative descriptive-comparative and correlational research design was used.

Place and Duration of Study: A selected private high school in Barangay West Timawa, Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines, from 9 to 17 June 2026.

Methodology: Data were collected from 163 high school students with fixed orthodontic braces using a validated 50-item researcher-made survey questionnaire. Prior to data collection, ethical clearance was obtained from the Iloilo Doctors' College Institutional Research Ethics Committee.

Results: The results showed that the respondents received good-quality health education and had high levels of engagement in oral hygiene practices in all domains. There was no statistically significant difference in perceptions of health education quality across respondents’ demographic characteristics (Age: ; Duration: ; Source: ; Frequency of visits: ), but there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the quality of health education received and the oral hygiene practices of the respondents ().

Conclusion: Overall, the findings indicate an association between the quality of guidance from dental professionals and oral hygiene practices among adolescent orthodontic patients. Standard patient education protocols should be established by dental practitioners.