Perception of Complete Visually Impaired Children to Three Different Oral Health Education Methods: A Preliminary...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Special Education
• Public Health

Background:

• Effective oral health education is crucial for all children, including those with visual impairments.
• Traditional educational methods may not be optimal for visually impaired children, necessitating adaptive strategies.
• Assessing the perception and efficacy of different teaching modalities is key to improving oral hygiene practices in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of three distinct oral health education methods for visually impaired children.
• To evaluate children's perception and adoption of learned oral hygiene skills.
• To identify the most suitable educational approach for enhancing oral health in visually impaired youth.

Main Methods:

• Sixty visually impaired children were divided into three groups.
• Group I received lectures, Group II experienced the Demonstration on a Model by Tell and Touch method (DMTT), and Group III engaged in self-training.
• Oral hygiene knowledge and practices were assessed via questionnaires and interviews, with data analyzed statistically.

Main Results:

• Children in the DMTT group demonstrated significantly better brushing and rinsing abilities (p <0.05) compared to other groups.
• The Demonstration on a Model by Tell and Touch method was the most preferred educational approach among participants.
• This tactile and auditory method proved superior in knowledge transfer and skill acquisition.

Conclusions:

• The Demonstration on a Model by Tell and Touch method is a highly effective and well-perceived approach for oral health education among visually impaired children.
• Adaptive educational strategies like DMTT are essential for improving health outcomes in special needs populations.
• Further research could explore long-term retention and broader implementation of such methods.