Oral Cancer Awareness, Screening Behavior, and Risk-Factor Recognition Among Patients Attending a University Dental Hospital

Background: Oral cancer remains a major global health concern, with increasing incidence and mortality, especially in developing countries. Public awareness is crucial for early detection and improved outcomes. Objective: To assess oral cancer awareness, recognition of risk factors and early signs, screening behavior, and care-seeking preferences among patients attending a university dental hospital in Türkiye. Methods: This cross-sectional, facility-based survey included 1360 volunteer patients who attended the Faculty of Dentistry between January and December 2025. Consecutive sampling was used to include all eligible and consenting individuals. A structured questionnaire assessed participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, oral cancer awareness, knowledge of symptoms and risk factors, screening history, and lifestyle habits. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was oral cancer awareness (measured by the question “Have you ever heard of oral cancer?”). Secondary outcomes included knowledge of risk factors and early clinical signs, screening history, preferred healthcare contact for suspected oral cancer, and lifestyle factors (tobacco and alcohol). Associations between sociodemographic variables and oral cancer awareness were also evaluated. Results: The sample consisted of 1360 participants (56.4% female; mean age: 33.44 ± 14.60 years; range: 18–70). Of the 1377 questionnaires collected, 1360 were complete and included in the final analysis (questionnaire completion rate: 98.8%). Breast cancer was the most recognized cancer (96.9%), whereas only 50.8% of participants had heard of oral cancer. Dentists (39.4%) were the primary source of information. Tobacco use (92.2%) and alcohol consumption (80.3%) were the most frequently identified risk factors, whereas only 58.3% recognized human papillomavirus as a risk factor for oral cancer. In univariate analyses, oral cancer awareness was significantly associated with age, marital status, education level, monthly income, occupation, alcohol use, and the timing of the most recent dental visit (p < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression, undergraduate education (OR = 2.008, 95% CI: 1.135–3.553), higher monthly income (>100,000 TRY vs. <25,000 TRY, OR = 2.398, 95% CI: 1.571–3.658), alcohol use (OR = 1.521, 95% CI: 1.082–2.139), and a dental visit within the previous year (OR = 4.130, 95% CI: 1.590–10.730) remained independently associated with oral cancer awareness. Conclusions: Oral cancer awareness in this study population was limited. The findings suggest that targeted educational strategies may be beneficial for improving oral cancer awareness. Strengthening dentists’ preventive role and promoting education through social media may help improve oral cancer awareness and facilitate earlier detection.