An oral health education programme based on the National Curriculum.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a teaching programme based on the national curriculum for use in a primary school setting.


METHODS
National Curriculum guidelines were combined with oral health education messages to draw up lesson plans for teachers to deliver. A questionnaire was used to demonstrate children's oral health knowledge prior to the teaching programme, and at 1 and 7 weeks following the programme. The study took place in inner-city, state-run primary schools in Manchester and North London, UK. The subjects were children between the ages of 7 and 8 years from Manchester (n = 58) and North London (n = 30). The main outcome measure was change in knowledge attributable to a newly developed teaching programme.


RESULTS
The children in Manchester had a higher level of knowledge prior to the teaching programme. Following the teaching programme, children in both schools showed a significant improvement in dental health knowledge (P < 0.001). Seven weeks later, the Manchester children showed no significant loss of knowledge (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The aims of the National Curriculum were easily integrated with oral health messages. A more widely available teaching resource, such as the one described in this study, would be useful to encourage the teaching profession to take on oral health education without more costly input from dental professionals.
Chapman
A
A
Division of Child Dental Health, University of Bristol Dental School, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol BS1 2LY, UK.
Copestake
S J
SJ
Duncan
K
K
D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003479:Curriculum; D003729:Dental Care; D004032:Diet; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004739:England; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012586:Science / Q000193:education; D013663:Teaching; D014070:Tooth / Q000502:physiology; D014505:Urban Population