title: Evaluation of different health education interventions among preschoolers: a randomized controlled pilot trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to assess the impact of three different health education methods among preschoolers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group included 100 preschoolers of the same socio-economic status randomly selected and divided into four groups. Debris index (DI-S) was recorded for all children followed by the dental health education. Group A received dental health education from the Dentist; Group B from the class teacher trained by the Dentist and Group C from the dental residents dressed mimicking cartoon characters. Group D acted as the control group. Post-intervention evaluation program was carried out after 3 months. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test, paired t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) appropriately using the SPSS Version 17.1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of pre- and post-intervention data showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in the (DI-S) scores in all groups except the control group. Group C showed a significant improvement compared to the other Groups A, B, and D (P<0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Drama as a method of health education can have a bigger impact on the oral health attitude and practices of the preschoolers. These modes can serve to reinforce as well as improve the oral health practices among pre-school children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, KSR Institute of Dental Science and Research, Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asokan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shankar
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002359:Cartoons as Topic; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003815:Dentists; D004324:Drama; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods