Effect of a Multimedia-Assisted Microteaching Program on Oral Health Knowledge, Behavior, and Oral Hygiene Status...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Education
• Pediatric Dentistry

Background:

• Dental caries and poor oral hygiene are significant public health issues in school-aged children, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
• Teachers are crucial for school-based oral health education, but require effective pedagogical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a multimedia-assisted microteaching intervention for teachers to improve students' oral health knowledge, attitudes, practices, and hygiene.
• Assess the impact of teacher training on student oral health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods sequential explanatory design with 582 students and teachers across three groups: multimedia-enhanced microteaching, multimedia-only, and control.
• Quantitative data collected via Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) questionnaires, Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S), and Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index.
• Qualitative data gathered through teacher focus group discussions.

Main Results:

• Students in the multimedia-enhanced microteaching group showed significant improvements in KAP scores and OHI-S compared to other groups (p < 0.05).
• Teachers reported increased confidence, better classroom engagement, and improved integration of oral health education.
• DMFT changes were descriptive due to the short follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Multimedia-assisted microteaching is a promising strategy for enhancing teacher-led oral health education.
• The intervention positively impacts short-term behavioral and hygiene outcomes in elementary students.
• Further research is needed to determine long-term clinical effects.