Buddhi Bangara Project on oral health promotion: a 3- to 5-year collaborative programme combining support, education and research in Nepal.
OBJECTIVE
The overall purpose of the Buddhi Bangara Project (BBP) is to investigate if oral health promotion (OHP) will be a realistic way to improve the oral hygiene and dental awareness of Nepalese schoolchildren aged 5-12 years. This study is the first aspect of the overall project. Dental hygiene students from Kantipur School of Dentistry, Kathmandu and the Dental Hygiene Programme at the INHOLLAND University in Amsterdam were actively involved in this assessment phase as well as the implementation phase which included oral health education activities. This descriptive study is the first phase of a larger longitudinal study directed towards improving the oral health of children in Nepal.


METHODS
The first phase involves the assessment of children in several schools, one of which acts as a control group. It is directed toward the baseline data collected prior to the implementation of the OHP initiatives. Qualitative data on knowledge about oral health was collected through observations and a questionnaire. The World Health Organization community index of treatment needs was used to assess the clinical status of the participants.


RESULTS
The data show that knowledge about preventing oral diseases is high, but awareness about the benefits of fluoride is low. It also suggests that the oral health of the examined children is affecting their quality of life in several different ways. The social status of participants appears to influence their dietary intake as well as their choice of professionals to visit when experiencing pain.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that children in Nepal have oral health problems and oral health does appear to influence their quality of life. The impact of the OHP activities have yet to be determined.
Knevel
R J M
RJ
Dental Hygiene Education, INHOLLAND University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ron.knevel@inholland.acta.nl
Neupane
S
S
Shressta
B
B
de Mey
L
L
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009390:Nepal; D009426:Netherlands; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D012923:Social Class; D013334:Students; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D014098:Toothache / Q000628:therapy
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005459:Fluorides