Effect of instruction and motivation on dental knowledge and behavior among wearers of partial dentures

Patients receiving partial dentures were divided into three groups. One "maximum" group was taught and motivated, both individually and as a group, as thoroughly as possible. The second "medium" group was given instruction sheets describing the essential facts related to the cleaning and maintenance of teeth and dentures., but no individual instruction and motivation were provided. In the third "minimum" group the obtaining of information was left entirely to the initiative of the patients themselves. By the end of the period of treatment, the patients' knowledge was in proportion to the amount of teaching they had received. As regards dental health behavior, the groups did not differ significantly from one another, although there were some indications that increased knowledge and motivation had promoted positive oral hygiene habits. A year after the completion of treatment the positive behavior habits were markedly fewer in all groups, and no longer bore any relation to the amount or type of instruction or motivation given.