Adherence is of central importance to promoting positive oral health behaviours. Understanding the processes involved in behaviour change and how change may be sustained is essential to support patients to change their behaviour successfully. We review the concept of adherence, the oral health behaviours of interest to the dental team and how change around these behaviours is currently managed. Theoretical models of behaviour change are reviewed and their possible implications for every day practice described.
Clinical relevance: This paper will help the dental team to understand the processes involved in behaviour change and support their patients to adopt and sustain positive oral health behaviours.