A multimedia oral health promoting project in primary schools in central Italy

The purpose of the study Project was to test the effectiveness of a multimedia game designed in order to attract the attention of primary school children to oral health basic concepts and use the instrument to assess students' knowledge.

An originally designed multimedia game on oral health was administered in the computer class rooms, before (T0) and after (T1) an educational stage, to third (8-9 years) and fifth graders (10-11 years) of primary schools in urban and rural areas of two provinces of medium-small cities in Center Italy (Terni and Latina). Considered variables were: age, gender, school time schedule (only antemeridian, extended schedule). The statistical test used was the non-parametric Wilcox on signed-rank test.

Response rate was 90.6% (due to absence on the due date). 1,300 students were involved. Overall, the average of the correct answers was 40.7% before oral health lessons and 59.2% after. An improving trend of correct answers was recorded from T0 to T1, significantly (p < 0.05) among: fifth graders (+ 17.5%), extended school time schedulers (+18.1%) and females (+18.9%). The results, however, show poor global oral health knowledge, being total percentage of correct answers below 60%.

The results stress the importance of the school environment as access to health promotion for all socio-economic classes. The multimedia educational approach has proved a valuable and updated tool to attract the attention of digital native children.