• myGriffith
    • Staff portal
    • Contact Us⌄
      • Future student enquiries 1800 677 728
      • Current student enquiries 1800 154 055
      • International enquiries +61 7 3735 6425
      • General enquiries 07 3735 7111
      • Online enquiries
      • Staff phonebook
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Griffith Research Online
    • Journal articles
    • View Item
    • Home
    • Griffith Research Online
    • Journal articles
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

  • All of Griffith Research Online
    • Communities & Collections
    • Authors
    • By Issue Date
    • Titles
  • This Collection
    • Authors
    • By Issue Date
    • Titles
  • Statistics

  • Most Popular Items
  • Statistics by Country
  • Most Popular Authors
  • Support

  • Contact us
  • FAQs
  • Admin login

  • Login
  • Preschool teachers as agents of oral health promotion: an intervention study in Sri Lanka

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    94009_1.pdf (251.8Kb)
    Author(s)
    Fernando, S
    Kanthi, RDFC
    Johnson, NW
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Johnson, Newell W.
    Fernando, Surani
    Year published
    2013
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    BACKGROUND: According to National Oral Health Survey reports and research, Early Childhood Caries has been identified as a serious public health problem in Sri Lanka. More than 65% of preschool-aged children have dental decay and only 2% of them have had treatment. With proper interventions and commitment from public health personnel and responsible community leaders this should be a largely preventable disease. METHODS: An intervention study was conducted among preschool teachers in the District of Colombo, Sri Lanka, to assess their influence on oral health promotion in the school environment. All the available 52 preschools ...
    View more >
    BACKGROUND: According to National Oral Health Survey reports and research, Early Childhood Caries has been identified as a serious public health problem in Sri Lanka. More than 65% of preschool-aged children have dental decay and only 2% of them have had treatment. With proper interventions and commitment from public health personnel and responsible community leaders this should be a largely preventable disease. METHODS: An intervention study was conducted among preschool teachers in the District of Colombo, Sri Lanka, to assess their influence on oral health promotion in the school environment. All the available 52 preschools and all 72 teachers registered under a local government authority were involved in the study. Preschools were divided into intervention group and control group based on geographically defined areas. The intervention included training preschool teachers using a manual covering health education, health promotion, incorporation of oral-health-friendly activities into the preschool curriculum, and hands-on experience of oral examination. Pre- and post- assessments were conducted with a 6 month interval. RESULTS: After 6 months, the median oral health knowledge score of the intervention group improved from 55 to 72 (p = 0.005) and the mean score for oral health related practices from 32 to 35 (p = 0.032). The variables: oral-health-friendly preschool environment (p = 0.02), availability of brushing facilities (p = 0.005) and availability of information, education and communication materials related to oral health (p = 0.004) were significantly different between the two groups after 6 months. CONCLUSION: Oral health promotion activities can be effectively instilled in a pre-school environment by the education of teachers.
    View less >
    Journal Title
    Community Dental Health
    Volume
    30
    Issue
    3
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1922/CDH_3192Fernando05
    Copyright Statement
    © 2013 The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD). The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
    Subject
    Dentistry not elsewhere classified
    Dentistry
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/60614
    Collection
    • Journal articles

    Footer

    Disclaimer

    • Privacy policy
    • Copyright matters
    • CRICOS Provider - 00233E

    Tagline

    • Gold Coast
    • Logan
    • Brisbane - Queensland, Australia
    First Peoples of Australia
    • Aboriginal
    • Torres Strait Islander