title: [An intervention comparison of dental hygienist visits and leaflet mailing for improvement of oral health scores in village residents].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to clarify to what extentintervention by dental hygienist visits and leaflet mailing, once or three times a year, increased the dental health scores of Tobishima Village residents in a 3 year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The oral health status and oral health score (the Oral Salutogenic Score) of 786 residents were examined in May, 2004. Of the total, 446 people had oral health scores equal to or less than 15. They were divided into three groups at random, receiving: dental hygienist visits (visit group); leaflet mailing three times a year (three times mail group); and leaflet mailing only once a year (single mail group). Oral health status and scores were examined a second time by dentists in May, 2007 and average increases of scores over 3 years were calculated for each of the three groups. The Mann-Whitney test and cost-effectiveness analysis were employed for comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average increase in oral health score was 46.2 +/- 8.1% for the visit group, 31.2 +/- 4.4% for the three times mail group and 25.0+/-5.2% single mail group over 3 years. The visit group value was significantly higher than the single mail group (P<0.05). Of the resi-dents who had an oral health score equal to or less than 15 points, increase of their oral health score those who received a dental hygienist visit had a higher than the groups who were sent leaflets. With the latter, the greater frequency of leaflet distribution was more effective for increasing the oral health score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that visits by dental hygienists are more effective than mailing of leaflets. In addition, mailing 2 or 3 times a year is more effective than once a year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry and Dental Public Health, School of Dentistry, Aichi-Gakuin University.
authors.forename: Yasuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakakibara
authors.forename: Ichizo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuboi
authors.forename: Matsumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Shizuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuhisa
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*