The effect of a televised periodontal campaign on public periodontal awareness

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of the Minnesota Dental Association's 1979 to 1980 periodontal awareness television campaign in terms of (1) reaching the target population, (2) improving public knowledge regarding the major reason for tooth loss in adults and (3) increasing intended future preventive dental visits. Based on the Health Belief Model, a 30-second television message was developed presenting periodontal disease as an often overlooked but compelling reason to seek preventive dental care. The message was aimed at adults 18 years of age and older who did not visit the dentist regularly. It was broadcast 1280 times over two separate 6-week periods on 17 statewide television stations. A postcampaign personal interview of a representative cross section of 1,000 Minnesota adults indicated that the campaign reached 79% of the population surveyed, or 786 individuals. Eighty-two percent (534) of the 654 individuals who made regular dental visits and 73% (252) of the 346 individuals who did not, indicated exposure to the message. Of the 786 persons who viewed the message, 90% (707) correctly recalled the message content. Seventy-five percent (488) of the 654 individuals who made regular dental visits and 63% (219) of the 346 individuals who did not, correctly recalled the message content. As a result of exposure to the television campaign, 10% (76) of the 786 viewers indicated their intention to make more preventive dental visits in the future. Among individuals stating such an intention were 10% (71) of the 707 viewers who correctly recalled the message and six percent (5) of the 79 viewers who were not able to correctly recall the message content.