Everybody Brush! Consumer Satisfaction with a Tooth Decay Prevention Program.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Health Behavior Interventions

Background:

• Twice-daily supervised toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste is recommended for preventing childhood tooth decay.
• Low-income caregivers need supplies and guidance for establishing oral hygiene routines, especially as children gain autonomy.
• The study focused on families with children under 36 months due to high disease incidence in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate consumer satisfaction with an evidence-based, theory-informed community intervention delivered via home delivery.
• To assess the usefulness of provided materials, including toothbrushing supplies and communication messages.
• To address challenges faced by low-income caregivers in implementing recommended toothbrushing practices for young children.

Main Methods:

• The
• Everybody Brush!
• program was implemented in Central Oregon, targeting families of Medicaid-insured children.
• Participants were randomized into test (supplies, voice/print messages, phone support), active (supplies only), or waitlist control groups.
• Interviews were conducted with caregivers of children under 36 months at the program's start and end.

Main Results:

• A total of 83,148 toothbrushing kits were distributed to 21,743 families.
• Caregivers reported very high satisfaction, rating the overall program 9.5 out of 10.
• Toothbrushing supplies were rated most useful (9.5/10), followed by printed messages (7.2/10), and voice messages (6.5/10).

Conclusions:

• The
• Everybody Brush!
• program achieved high caregiver satisfaction in a community intervention targeting childhood tooth decay.
• Toothbrushing supplies were perceived as the most valuable component of the intervention.
• Further research is ongoing to evaluate the program's impact on actual toothbrushing behaviors and dental care utilization.