Effectiveness of Motivational Dental Care Interventions for Students in Vietnam

Background: The prevalence of oral diseases in Vietnam has remained high in recent years, especially dental caries and gingivitis. Conventional dental education in schools is ineffective in maintaining good behavior. Evidence regarding motivational aspects of oral health education in primary school students is limited. Therefore, this study will evaluate the effectiveness of dental education interventions based on content that enhances motivation. Methods: A non-randomized two-cluster controlled before-after study was conducted in two primary schools in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2024. Third-grade students were interviewed using a motivational questionnaire (DIM-S), then we examined the indicators OHI-S, DMFT (permanent teeth) and dmft (primary teeth) at the initial time (T1) and after 12 months (T2). Kim Lien School received a motivation-based education approach with content built upon the DIM-S guidelines; Khuong Thuong School received a traditional dental education approach. Results: At time point T1, extrinsic motivation predominated (86.41% in the control group; 95.95% in the intervention group). Mean motivation increased by 0.95 points in the intervention group (from 15.03 ± 1.56 to 15.98 ± 1.41; p < 0.001) compared with 0.17 points in the control group (p = 0.329); The difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001). The proportion of students with extrinsic motivation decreased by 8.91% in the intervention group (p < 0.001) but increased by 5.83% in the control group (p = 0.238); p = 0.003 when testing for differences between groups. The OHI-S index decreased in the intervention group (-0.31; p < 0.001) and increased in the control group (+0.14; p = 0.048); p < 0.001 when testing for differences in changes between the control and intervention groups. The DMFT index for permanent teeth increased in both groups, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.178); the DMFT index for deciduous teeth decreased in both groups, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.353). Conclusions: Motivation-based school dental education was associated with improved oral-care motivation and oral hygiene and with an increased percentage of students with intrinsic motivation after 12 months. However, maintaining student motivation still requires a combination of preventive measures to reduce oral disease incidence and longer follow-up.