ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tobacco use has emerged as a major public health issue with increasing tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Despite evidence that even brief tobacco counseling by health care professionals is effective in motivating a tobacco user to quit, there was a lack of customized tobacco counseling training module (TCTM) for students of dentistry in their existing curriculum. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a customized TCTM in improving KAASS in tobacco counseling among undergraduate dental students. METHODS: TCTM that was previously pilot tested was implemented as a value addition in Public Health Dentistry for two academic years. Changes in knowledge, attitude, ability to identify oral manifestations, self-confidence, and skills (KAASS) in tobacco counseling were assessed before and after implementation of TCTM. Mean pre and post intervention scores were compared. RESULTS: Mean scores for knowledge, attitude, ability to identify oral manifestations, and self-confidence (KAAS) at baseline were 4.4 ± 0.9, 5.1 ± 0.7, 4.5 ± 1.1, and 1.3 ± 0.4, respectively. Mean KAAS scores post intervention were 13.5 ± 1.0, 8.7 ± 0.4, 9.4 ± 0.7, and 3.5 ± 0.5, respectively. There was a significant improvement in the mean KAAS score post intervention compared to baseline. Tobacco counseling skills also significantly improved among the participants following implementation of the training module (68.8%) did well compared to the baseline (0%). CONCLUSION: TCTM was effective in enhancing knowledge, attitude, ability to identify oral manifestations, and self-confidence in tobacco counseling among undergraduate dental students.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: India lacks organized school oral health programs, resulting in limited access to oral health care among children. The peer role models, or teachers, may help in bridging the gap to enhance knowledge on self-care preventive practices. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of dental health education (DHE) offered by qualified dental professional, trained teachers, and peer role models in promoting oral hygiene status and behavior among school-going children in Mysuru, Karnataka. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an interventional study conducted over a period of 3 months in an academic year in three selected schools in Mysuru City, India. A total of 120 students were divided into three groups - group 1 were given DHE (dental health education) by a dental professional, group 2 were given DHE by a trained teacher, and group 3 were given DHE by peer role models. Oral health knowledge was assessed using a close-ended questionnaire, plaque levels were assessed using Turesky Gilmore Glickman modification of Quigley Hein plaque index, and gingival status was assessed using Loe and Sillness gingival index. After 3 months, the same index and questionnaire were used post intervention. RESULTS: The mean scores for knowledge on dental caries at baseline in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 3.75 ± 1.25, 3.65 ± 1.07, and 3.40 ± 1.17, respectively, with no significant difference between the groups, which changed to 4.43 ± 1.27, 3.37 ± 1.14, and 4.93 ± 0.99, respectively, following intervention. Similar results were observed with regard to knowledge on gingival and periodontal diseases. The mean plaque scores at baseline for groups 1, 2, and 3 were 4.17 ± 0.30, 3.24 ± 0.70, and 4.10 ± 0.31, respectively, which changed to 3.85 ± 0.32, 3.90 ± 0.39, and 3.69 ± 0.34, respectively, in three groups following intervention. Post intervention, plaque scores and gingival scores significantly improved in groups 1 and 3 but worsened in group 2. Overall, knowledge scores improved in groups 1 and 3 for some questions, but improvement was not noted in some questions. CONCLUSION: Under the limitations of the study, it was found that peer role models were as effective as dental professionals in providing DHE in schools.
ABSTRACT
Health is the extent of functional or metabolic regulation of a living body. Many researchers have shown that oral health is directly related to the systemic condition of a person. The various researches done has shown that there is an increase in need for orthodontic treatment in most of the countries. Hence judicious planning of providing orthodontic services on a population basis is necessary to appraise the requirement of resources and manoeuvre for providing such a service. How to cite this article: Avinash B, Shivalinga BM, Balasubramanian S, Shekar S, Chandrashekar BR, Avinash BS. Orthodontic Treatment Needs of 12-year-old School-going Children of Mysuru District, Karnataka, India: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2018;11(4):307-316.
ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: It was a short term prospective pilot study on a group of 116 secondary school students. OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of using the services of school teachers to promote oral hygiene in secondary school students and compare the effectiveness of dental health education (DHE) offered by school teachers on a fortnightly basis with what is offered by dental professionals at three- monthly intervals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six secondary schools were randomly selected. The base-line Oral Hygiene Index simplified (OHI-S) and Plaque index (PI) scores for all the students were recorded. The teachers were trained on dental health facts. The six schools were divided into three groups of two schools with different intervention techniques: Group 1- Schools given no health education, Group 2 - Schools given health education by their school teachers on a fortnightly basis together with simple screening for deposits of gross calculus , Group 3 - Schools which were given health education by dental professionals at intervals of three months without any screening. Grade nine students were selected for pre and post intervention evaluation. The second examination was done six months following the intervention to find out the OHI-S and Plaque index scores. The examination was done by three trained and calibrated dentists. Data analysis was done with SPSS 16 with relevant statistical tests. RESULTS: The mean OHI-S and PI scores were significantly less in group 2 and there was a statistically significant difference between the baseline OHI - S, PI score and the scores after six months in all the three groups. CONCLUSION: The concept of utilizing the teachers for frequent DHE and screening for any gross deposits of food debris and calculus is feasible. Also frequent DHE by teachers was more effective than the infrequent DHE by the professionals.
