Assessment of the school dental care services at a number of primary schools in Ha Noi

Background: According to the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, over 90% of the Vietnamese population has dental diseases in 2001. Although school dental care programs were developed in the early 1980s, the prevalence of dental diseases still remains high in pupils. In Ha Noi, the majority of schools performed only two or three of the four contents of the school dental care program. Objectives: To assess the school dental care services at four primary schools in Ha Noi. Subjects and method: A study was performed on the schools management staffs, teachers, school health workers and 1st year pupils of four primary schools in Ha Noi in the period from October 2004 to April 2006. There were 181 first year pupils. This was a community intervention study. Results and conclusions: The dental education program was in the 1st grade schoolbook. The schools did not directly treat dental diseases for pupils because they lacked the equipments, dental medicine and dentists. All 100% of the pupils were educated about dental hygiene After implementing the interventions of the pilot model of the school dental care services; the knowledge of dental care was improved dramatically in all the mentioned schools. The prevalence of dental caries decreased from 54.14% to 42.77%. 82.77% of the pupils possessed the knowledge of dental care after intervention vs 41.44% before intervention and 75% vs 33.56% possessed the skill of dental care practice.

Orodental disease prevention and school dental activity

The study was performed to evaluate the situation of the orodental disease in Vietnam and Southwest Asia region, the cause of disease and activities of orodental disease prevention and control as well as the efficacy of school based orodental control program. The obtained results as follow: the school orodental program had a good efficacy to reduce the morbidity rate of orodental disease in school age. The expansion of this program will reduce significantly medical cost as well as burden of health facilities.

Activities and effects of school dentistry on oral health problems in primary students of an inner district of Ha Noi

Primary schools in Dong Da district were involved in this study. It was found that 75% of schools have implemented 2 or more contents of school dentistry program, in which 35% of schools have implemented completely 4 contents of program. Factors that have affected to school dentistry are school health worker, cooperation of multi sectors, teacher and training material; student health insurance. School dentistry program has effected on acknowledge, practice and incidence of oral health problems. Need of parents for children oral health care at school is high.