Assessment of oral health knowledge and motivation level in dental disease prevention among the population with limited mobility and specialists

Abstract

Relevance. The level of oral health knowledge directly affects the level of oral health. The study aims to study the level of oral health and oral disease knowledge and motivation among the population with limited mobility and specialists.Materials and methods. The study analyzed the results of the target audience survey. We developed questionnaires for children and specialists on the level of knowledge of dental disease prevention, motivation for oral care education, the quality and structure of classes with children, and specialist needs to use various related materials for conducting such educational lessons. The survey involved 178 children, of which 112 had eye disorders, and 66 children composed the control group. We also interviewed 53 specialists (dentists). The children oral responses were recorded, and specialists answered the multiple-choice survey questions in writing.Results. The study results showed a low level of oral health knowledge in schoolchildren with eye disorders, despite their high motivation to study compared to the control group (systemically healthy children). The survey revealed an acute shortage of special teaching aids for visually impaired children among specialists despite the ongoing oral health education programs.Conclusions. The study concluded that it is necessary to develop and standardize specific education methods on the dental disease prevention for blind and visually impaired children.