Oral hygiene knowledge of high-risk Grade One children: an evaluation of two methods of dental health education.
The effectiveness of two methods of dental health education (DHE) for improving oral hygiene knowledge among high-risk Grade One students was evaluated. Fifty elementary schools in the former City of North York, Canada were assigned to one of two groups. In one group, students received a classroom-based DHE lesson which was reinforced by two small-group sessions (n=243). In the other group, students received only a single classroom-based DHE lesson (n=206). After DHE interventions, students in both groups displayed improved knowledge for most oral hygiene questions (e.g., when should you throw your toothbrush away?). However, for several questions, a significantly higher proportion of "classroom plus small-group sessions" students displayed improved knowledge compared to students receiving only a classroom lesson. These items included: awareness that cavity prevention and removal of germs are two purposes of oral hygiene; and knowledge that teeth help people to eat and talk. Results suggest a classroom-based lesson combined with small-group sessions is a more effective method of improving oral hygiene knowledge among high-risk Grade One students compared to a single classroom-based lesson.
Hawkins
R J
RJ
Community Dental Health Services Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. robert.hawkins@utoronto.ca
Zanetti
D L
DL
Main
P A
PA
Jokovic
A
A
Dwyer
J J
JJ
Otchere
D F
DF
Locker
D
D
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017144:Focus Groups; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires