Oral Health Training Research Articles

Nutrition Education and Practice in University Dental and Oral Health Programmes and Curricula: A Scoping Review.

Dentists and oral health practitioners have a potential role in supporting the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases. However, the extent to which university education prepares practitioners to provide nutrition care is unclear. This scoping review identifies and synthesises the evidence related to university-level nutrition education provided to dental and oral health students globally. A scoping review identified relevant literature through search terms "dentistry," "oral health," or "oral hygiene"; "dental students" or "dental education"; "nutrition education" or "nutrition science." Articles were included that examined nutrition education in undergraduate oral health training; or nutrition knowledge, attitudes, confidence, or skills or dietary habits; experts' opinion papers; and position statements. No limitations on the publication years or languages of the articles were applied. A total of 136 articles were included. Half were surveys of students (n = 49) or academic staff (n = 21). The remainder comprised reports of curriculum initiatives (n = 26), opinion papers or narrative reviews (n = 24), position statements (n = 6), curriculum development (n = 6) and curriculum guidelines (n = 9). While dental and oral health students and curriculum experts overwhelmingly recognised the importance of nutrition, most studies that assessed nutrition knowledge of students revealed limited knowledge. Students were not confident in their skills to provide nutrition care. Lack of nutrition experts on teaching teams and unclear expectations about developing nutrition competencies were identified as barriers to greater nutrition education. Nutrition education in university dental and oral health degrees is highly variable. The potential for oral health professionals of the future to promote oral health through nutrition is unrealised.

The impact of caregiver training on the oral health of people with disabilities: A systematic review.

This systematic review aimed to assess the impact of oral health training for caregivers of individuals with disabilities. A systematic review was conducted using five electronic databases: Medline (PubMed), SciELO, Web of Science, LILACS, and CAFe, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. The PICO strategy was defined as follows: Participants:caregivers of individuals with disabilities; Intervention:training or education in oral health for caregivers;Control:no caregiver training; andOutcomes:evaluating whether oral health training for caregivers improves the oral health of people with disabilities. The study aimed to address the research question: "What is the impact of oral health training for caregivers of individuals with disabilities?" The study was preregistered in PROSPERO (CRD42023416760). A total of 14 studies were included, with trained caregivers being either staff members or parents, and various disabilities reported, with cerebral palsy being the most prevalent. Caregiver training methods varied, such as instructions on the importance of oral health care, supervised oral hygiene, and demonstration of toothbrushing techniques. Overall, the intervention groups showed an improvement in measures such as to the Gingival Index, Plaque Index, Simplified Oral Hygiene Index, and Gingival Bleeding Index on upon probing. Additionally, improvements were observed in the quality, frequency, and duration of toothbrushing among intervention groups. The findings suggest that oral health training for caregivers has a positive impact on the oral health of individuals with disabilities, potentially leading to better oral health outcomes.

Oral healthcare beliefs among home care services personnel; a cross-sectional study in south-eastern Norway

BackgroundThere is little knowledge about home care services personnel competencies and beliefs concerning oral healthcare for home-dwelling, dependent older adults. This study aims to map oral healthcare beliefs among home care services personnel, and have the following question: How do the education level, years of work experience and training in oral health have impact on home care services personnel oral healthcare beliefs?MethodsA cross-sectional study among home care services personnel working with older people receiving home care services was conducted across four municipalities in south-eastern Norway. The questionnaire consisted of background information (gender, education level, years of work experience, training in oral healthcare, employment status) and the nursing Dental Coping Beliefs scale. Ethics approval for this study was obtained from the Norwegian Centre for Research Data.ResultsTwo hundred and sixty-two homecare services personnel responded to the questionnaire, 16.5% males and 83.5% females; 40.5% had had training in oral healthcare. Home care services personnel believed that gum diseases and cavities can be prevented by dental flossing (61.4%) and toothbrushing (98.4%). 59% disagreed that preventing sickness and medicines from destroying teeth is impossible. However, the majority of the home care services personnel were uncertain about how oral mucosal disorders can be treated. Having more than three years of higher education was positively associated with being in higher quartiles of oral healthcare beliefs, and external locus of control, and having training in oral healthcare was positively associated with being in the lower quartiles of internal locus of control and self-efficacy dimensions. Males were more likely to be in the lower quartile of oral healthcare beliefs, which wasn’t positive.ConclusionIn the population studied, the home care services personnel beliefs about oral healthcare improved with an increasing level of education and having had training in oral healthcare. This suggests that home care services personnel need more education and training in oral healthcare.

The effects of geriatric oral dental health training to dental students on their elderly attitudes.

To measure the effect of geriatric oral health education on the attitude of dentistry students towards the elderly. The interventional study was conducted in December 2022 at Sivas, and comprised students of the Faculty of Dentistry, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Turkiye in their 4th and 5th academic year. A 20-hour training course was delivered over 3 days by faculty members. Baseline and post-intervention difference was assessed using the Kogan's Attitudes Towards Old People Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 30 students, 18(60%) were females and 12(40%) were males. The overall mean age was 22.93±1.63 years. Besides, 18(60%) students belonged to 5th year and 12(40%) to the 4th year. The mean Kogan Elderly Attitude Scale score at baseline was 184.13±25.55, while post-intervention it was 195.36±22.36. (p<0.05). Relevant training was found to have a significant impact on the attitude of dentistry students towards the elderly.

A qualitative exploration to inform an oral health training for disability care workers in Burkina Faso.

To explore enablers and barriers to the creation of an oral health training for care workers at specialized centres for children with disabilities in Ouagadougou. This was a formative study informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework using qualitative methods. Qualitative observations and 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with care workers from six specialized centres for disability. Carer workers emphasized that a successful oral health training must account for available resources and competencies in each specific centre. Part of the training must be dedicated to oral hygiene targeted for people with disabilities and provide knowledge about risk factor management. Care workers must be empowered through the training with practical skills and tools to manage regular toothbrushing and identify oral health needs of their dependents. This study gathered valuable and unique perspectives about the roles of care workers of children with disabilities in Ouagadougou and underscores the need for improving access to oral health and care services for children with disabilities in low-resourced settings. Teams planning oral health promotion activities in low resourced settings for vulnerable population groups can benefit from the methodology and results of this research for ensuring their interventions are appropriate and relevant. This is a unique field study conducted in a scarcely researched area of caregiving practices for children with disabilities in a low-income country, Burkina Faso. Results from the disability centre observations and interviews with local caregivers are of great value to any team planning health projects in similar low-resourced settings. Psychiatric and mental health nursing practices are highly context-dependent, thus using proposed qualitative methods can help to ensure that planned interventions are appropriate and relevant. There was no patient contribution in this study.

Pelatihan Kesehatan Gigi dan Mulut pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar

Oral and dental health training for elementary school students is an important preventive effort to build the habit of maintaining oral and dental hygiene from an early age. This program aims to increase students' knowledge about the importance of dental and oral care and train them in the correct tooth brushing technique. This activity begins with counseling on dental health problems that children often face, such as cavities due to bad habits and high sugar consumption. Furthermore, students are given practical training on how to brush their teeth effectively. The results of the training showed that students were very enthusiastic and were able to understand and practice the correct tooth brushing technique. Question and answer sessions and direct practice strengthened their understanding, while giving prizes increased students' motivation to apply the knowledge they had gained. This training is expected to be the first step in forming a generation that is aware of the importance of oral and dental health.

Perceptions of patients towards oral health care in a spinal cord injury rehabilitation unit: A qualitative study.

Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are at an increased risk of poor oral health compared to the general population. However, little is known about the related barriers and facilitators experienced by these individuals within the hospital setting. Understand the oral health knowledge, attitudes and practices of people with SCIs, barriers and facilitators to managing their oral health, and recommendations to improve oral care at acute/rehabilitation hospital settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 participants, from a major metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia. The interviews were thematically analysed. Three themes were constructed. Participants believed that the onus was on them to manage their oral health. Individuals also had limited knowledge of its importance to general health, and placed a lower priority on oral health compared to other aspects of health. All participants identified a combination of factors, such as cost, time, resources and prior negative experiences, that contributed to the neglect of their oral care. Participants also discussed the need of support from the multidisciplinary team and family/carers to facilitate oral care and identified various appropriate oral health education formats. This study highlighted some areas where oral health knowledge among people with SCIs could be improved. It also identified the need for oral health training for the multidisciplinary team, as well as carers, to better integrate oral care during rehabilitation in the hospital. The development of oral health interventions would need to utilise a co-design approach to best support clients and their carers to facilitate oral care self-management.

Study protocol for a pilot quasi-experimental study on oral health education for nurses and community health workers in Nigeria.

The primary health care system provides an ideal setting for the integration of oral health into general health care as well as equitable access to oral health care. However, the limited oral health knowledge of primary health care workers necessitates appropriate training before they can participate in health promotion efforts. This pilot training was designed to examine the impact of the Oral Health Education module for Nurses and Community Health Care Workers on their oral health awareness and referral practices. This study will utilize a quasi-experimental design (pre-and post with a non-equivalent control group) to assess the impact of a five-day pilot oral health education program on the knowledge and referral practices of Nurses and Community Health Workers in primary health care centers in three states in Nigeria-(Lagos, Oyo, and Kano). The training modules were developed based on the six iterative steps described in the intervention mapping framework - needs assessment, highlighting program objectives and outcomes, selection of theory and mode of intervention, designing program based on theory, designing implementation plans, and developing an evaluation plan. Only the intervention group will participate in the full educational training sessions but both groups will complete the pre-and post-intervention questionnaires. This pilot training combined the standardized training modules from the recently launched "Oral Health Training Course for Community Health Workers in Africa" and a newly developed maternal and child oral health module by our group using an evidence-based approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first program to examine the impact of the standardized OpenWHO modules. The success of this training will lay the foundation for developing a sustained channel for providing oral health education at the primary health care level in Nigeria, West Africa, and Africa.

Evaluation of knowledge and practice of pediatricians about Early Childhood Caries in Tehran, Iran

background: Despite efforts for improvement of oral health in the world during recent years, dental caries remained one of the most common chronic diseases in the childhood. One of the most important factors that can play a significant role in the success of oral health promotion programs is the adherence and collaboration of non dental staff of pediatric health providers such as pediatricians.&#x0D; Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate pediatricians' knowledge and practice regarding oral health and its related factors.&#x0D; Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study conducted in 2020, 90 pediatricians that were working in Tehran city participated. A newly designed valid and reliable questionnaire comprised of three sections of demographics (8 questions), knowledge (30 questions) and practice (8 questions) was provided to the participants. The knowledge questions consisted of five domains about primary teeth (8 questions), dental visits (3 questions), dental caries determinants (8 questions), eating habits (7 questions), and fluoride (4 questions). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 22. The significance level was considered to be less than 0.05 (p &lt; 0.05).&#x0D; Results: The participants (n=90) had an average age of 45.96 ± 9.75 years (ranged 30-76 years) and 60 percent of them were women. The mean of their knowledge score was 20.10 ±4.45 (out of a maximum 30) and for the practice, it was 15.51 ± 3.49 (out of a maximum 24). Receiving oral health training courses during education period was significantly associated with the higher knowledge of the physicians (r = 0.20, p = 0.04). Furthermore, interest in learning (r = 0.20, p = 0.04) and presence of dentists among their relatives and friends (r = 0.21, p = 0.03) were significantly related to better oral health practice of the studied pediatricians. There was no difference in pediatricians’ knowledge and practice according to age and gender.&#x0D; Conclusion: In general, the knowledge and practice of pediatricians about oral health and prevention of dental caries for their patients was not satisfactory. The associations between higher knowledge and practice with recieving the oral health training courses during education period, interest in learning and other motivations such as presence of a dentist among relatives, casts light on the importance of training such professional health staff to promote oral health in the childhood.

The perceptions of palliative care medical practitioners towards oral health: A descriptive qualitative study

Background: Oral health problems are common, but often overlooked, among people receiving palliative care. Aim: To better understand how oral health can be addressed in this population, this study aimed to explore the perceptions of oral health care among medical practitioners who provide palliative care to inform the development of a palliative oral health care program. Design: A descriptive qualitative design was adopted. Setting/participants: A single focus group was conducted with 18 medical practitioners at a palliative care facility in Sydney, Australia. All participants had experience providing palliative care services to clients. The focus group was audio recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: The results from the inductive thematic analysis identified four themes. The themes highlighted that participants were aware of the oral health needs of people receiving palliative care; however, they also reflected on the complexity in delivering oral health care across the healthcare settings, as well as the challenges around cost, lack of appropriate dental referral pathways, time constraints and limited awareness. Participants also provided recommendations to improve the delivery of oral health care to individuals receiving palliative care. Conclusions: To improve the provision of oral health care in this population, this study highlighted the need for oral health training across the multidisciplinary team, standardised screening assessments and referrals, a collective responsibility across the board and exploring the potential for teledentistry to support oral health care provision.

Adoption of New Oral Health Interventions in Primary Care: Qualitative Findings

Introduction: This is the first study to use the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM) theory for oral health (OH) interventions in pediatric practices. The objective of this qualitative study was to assess adoption and implementation of theory-based multi-level OH interventions, by clinicians (pediatricians and nurse practitioners) participating in a cluster-randomized clinical trial (cRCT), to create an OH toolkit for widespread dissemination into pediatric practices. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the conclusion of the cRCT with 21 clinicians from 9 practices participating in the intervention arm. Clinicians in this arm received CSM theory-based education and resources to deliver OH interventions to parents/caregivers and document in EMR. Semi-structured interview questions were based on the Diffusion of Innovations Theory, assessing adoption and implementation. The interviews were coded using NVivo (QRS International) software. Main themes were identified using a thematic analysis approach. Results: Five themes identified from the interviews included: strengths of theory-based OH training for clinicians, OH resources to improve quality of care, considerations for efficient future implementation, financial considerations, and parent benefits and challenges. Clinicians found that the theory-based training and resources increased knowledge and confidence when addressing OH with parents and required only ≤ 2 minutes in their workflow with no financial consequences. Clinicians reported an increase in OH awareness among parents but suggested an overall need for more pediatric dentists. Conclusions: The CSM theory-based education and resources were well received by clinicians and perceived to be beneficial without adverse impact on workflow or practice finances. An online toolkit is planned, as these OH interventions can be successfully implemented and delivered in medical settings.

An Assessment of Oral Health Training in Obstetrical Care in Massachusetts.

Oral health (OH) has significant effects on pregnancy and infant outcomes. This study assesses the perspectives of obstetrical clinicians about OH education and promotion. A fifteen-item survey was developed and circulated to obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) and family medicine (FM) physicians, and other prenatal health clinicians in Massachusetts (MA). Additionally, eight physicians were purposively sampled for in-depth interviews to discuss their experience with prenatal OH training and practice. Bivariate relationships between outcome variables from the survey (e.g., previous OH training, awareness of OH guidelines, asking about OH during prenatal visits) were analyzed along with coding and analysis of the qualitative interview data. The majority (77%) of the 86 survey respondents did not feel well-trained in OH. We found significant associations between being well-trained in OH and: (1) awareness of state guidelines (X2 = 11.85, p < 0.001); (2) asking about OH during prenatal visits (X2 = 9.21, p = 0.002); and (3) routinely referring patients for dental care (X2 = 15.35, p < 0.001). Lack of access to dental insurance and dental professionals were found to be major perceived barriers to care. Responses from the interviews reinforced these findings.

Oral health experiences of people living with Parkinson's disease: a scoping review.

Background and aim Parkinson's disease is the fastest growing and second most common progressive neurodegenerative condition in the UK; poised to represent a major societal and health care challenge. The scoping review aims to provide an overview of the literature on the oral health (OH) experiences of people living with Parkinson's, identifying current research gaps and future priorities.Method Search strategies included three electronic databases, two grey literature databases, relevant organisations, specialist journals and hand searching of the reference lists. A data extraction tool was developed and piloted.Results A total of 121 items were included in the review. Four themes were identified: OH impact, education and training, service delivery and wider impacts of OH for people with Parkinson's (PwP). The majority of studies included were cross-sectional in design, describing the OH status of PwP.Conclusion The majority of research to date has focused on OH impact. Areas for future research include use of qualitative studies exploring the experiences, attitudes and priorities of PwP and their care partners. Inclusion of medical, dental and allied health care professionals, together with people with lived experience, is required to develop, implement and evaluate interventions to support OH.

Evaluation of UK paediatric nephrology teams’ understanding, experience and perceptions of oral health outcomes and accessibility to dental care: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundOral health conditions are common in children and young people (CYP) with kidney disorders. There is currently limited literature on how confident paediatric nephrology teams feel to identify and manage oral health concerns for their patients.MethodAn exploratory mixed-method survey was distributed across all 13 UK specialist paediatric nephrology centres with responses received from consultants, registrars, specialist nurses and special interest (SPIN) paediatricians.ResultsResponses received from 109 multidisciplinary team members of 13/13 (100%) UK tertiary units. Ninety-two percent (n = 100) of respondents reported they had never received any training in oral health and 87% (n = 95) felt that further training would be beneficial to optimise care for patients and improve communication between medical and dental teams. Most respondents reported that they did not regularly examine, or enquire about, their patients’ oral health. Only 16% (n = 17) reported that all their paediatric kidney transplant recipients underwent routine dental assessment prior to transplant listing. Severe adverse oral health outcomes were rarely reported and only 11% (n = 12) of respondents recalled having a patient who had a kidney transplant delayed or refused due to concerns about oral infection. Seventy-eight percent (n = 85) felt that joint working with a dental team would benefit patients at their unit; however, 17% (n = 18) felt that current infrastructure does not currently support effective joint working.ConclusionsAcross the UK, paediatric kidney health professionals report lack of confidence and training in oral health. Upskilling subspecialty teams and creating dental referral pathways are recommended to maximise oral health outcomes for CYP with kidney diseases.Graphical abstractA higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information

1957 Brushing up on oral health: Improving oral health practices in geriatric inpatients

Abstract Introduction Poor oral health is linked to multiple health conditions, for example pneumonia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Older people are particularly vulnerable to developing poor oral health due to comorbidities, medications used, and access to dental services, an effect magnified during hospital admissions. The aim of this project is to improve oral health and care received by inpatients on Healthcare for Older People (HfOP) wards. Methods A baseline audit of patient-response surveys on oral health access and behaviours, and care during hospital admissions was performed. HfOP inpatients aged &amp;gt;75 with capacity to consent were included. Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles informed interventions, focusing on education of multidisciplinary staff. First round interventions included presenting/discussing initial audit findings at a regional HfOP meeting, and working with Oral Health Practitioners to do ward-based micro-teaching and develop/distribute posters raising awareness. Second round interventions included a more in-depth certified educational session available to all HfOP staff on oral health care and promotion, and posters on how to document oral health aspects on the electronic patient record. Results 82% (82/100) patients reported being registered with a dentist, 50% attending a dentist in the last 12 months. Initially, only 17% (17/100) reported ward staff taking measures to ensure/help support their oral health, rising to 46% (46/50) in the second audit. Conclusions Though patient surveys may under-represent oral health access/issues by excluding people unable to consent, and may under-represent staff support offered/provided by recall bias, our audit did highlight gaps in staff awareness/practice. Our interventions were designed to benefit all inpatients, via opportunistic ward-based education through the audit process and formal educational sessions. Limitations included logistics of ensuring access to all staff groups. Our goal is to formalise oral health training in core MDT teaching to generate systemic lasting improvement. Other information Registered with local trust audit programme.

Knowledge and attitudes on oral health of women during pregnancy and their children: an online survey.

Life-long healthy behaviors are established during pregnancy and the first years of life. In this cross-sectional survey, new mothers with a high level of schooling living in Northern Italy (Lombardy Region) were interviewed to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards their and childoral health. A questionnaire (27 items) was developed to assess socio-demographic factors, knowledge, and attitudes towards maternal and child oral health. The questionnaire was disseminated in perinatal courses, private gynecological clinics, and via social media. Mothers aged ≥18 years, with at least a child aged 0-36 months, with a high school diploma or higher, were included in the survey. A total of 1340 women completed the questionnaire, 1297 of whom had a child aged 0-36 months, 792 lived in Lombardy, and 600 had a high level of education and were finally included. About half of the sample (44.67%) was aged between 31 and 35 years, 76.50% were employed, and the majority had only one child (81.50%). During pregnancy, 28.33% of the sample reported problems with teeth and gums, while only 36.00% visited a dentist. More than 40% of the sample said they were not aware of a possible link between oral health and pregnancy, and 73.17% had not received any advice about their oral health or the future health of their baby's mouth. Less than 20% of women were aware of the increased caries risk associated with prolonged or night-time breastfeeding. Better knowledge/attitude was associated with the age of the child (p < 0.05), the number of children (p < 0.05) and whether the mother had received advice during pregnancy (p < 0.05). The results of this survey show a lack of dental care during pregnancy, a lack of information about oral health from health professionals during and after pregnancy, and consequently gaps in the knowledge needed to care for the oral health of the woman and her child. There is a need for training in oral health for pregnant women and new mothers, but also a need for behavioural change among health professionals who care for pregnant women.

A mixed methods evaluation of the effectiveness of an oral health training program for disability care workers in Burkina Faso

BackgroundWhile efforts to improve the oral health of vulnerable populations have received little attention in general, the situation of children with disabilities in low- income countries (LICs) remains especially challenging. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of an oral health training provided to disability care workers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso thereby contributing to closing the knowledge gap in disability research in relation to oral health in LICs.MethodsThis was a single-arm pre-post study following an embedded mixed methods design using the New World Kirkpatrick training effectiveness evaluation model. For the purposes of this study, three levels of the Kirkpatrick (KP) evaluation were considered: reaction, learning and behaviour.ResultsA total of 44 care workers from 6 disability centres participated in the study. Care worker post-training scores (Md = 17) were significantly higher compared to pre-training scores (Md = 13) [Wilcoxon signed-ranks test: Z= -5.53, p < .001, r = .59.] The median value for care worker confidence in applying training material in their everyday job was 7 out of 10 points (IQR = 3). At the 1-month training follow-up, 3 centres had implemented daily toothbrushing for people with disabilities.ConclusionThese findings suggest that tailored training led to an increase in care worker confidence and motivation to implement oral health activities, in knowledge about oral health and a partial implementation uptake of daily toothbrushing in disability centres. Further long-term evaluations with dental care provision in rural and urban settings are needed to lower the high oral disease burden of people with disabilities in Burkina Faso.

Oral health situation analysis and integration of Massive Open Online Course Modules on Oral Health Promotion in WHO SEAR Countries: A Comprehensive Report

Background: Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) modules are deemed to be novel educational models to optimize learning. They can be useful in delivering oral health education to primary health care workers to strengthen the oral health care delivery system. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the current oral health situation analysis of the South East Asia region countries and to assess areas where the MOOC modules can be integrated as oral health training material. Methodology: A focus group discussion was held virtually with 70 participants from SEAR. The MOOC modules were developed as learning activities to facilitate the application of the material learned, in public settings. The themes for the situation analysis were based on oral health policy, barriers to dental treatment needs and action plan for implementation of the MOOC modules in each SEAR country. Results: Results highlighted the importance of formulating and implementing oral health policy at the national level among the participating countries. Nepal, Maldives, Timor–Leste reported on existing gaps regarding the unmet dental treatment needs. The inclusion of helath care workers in conducting dental procedures was observed in Bhutan. Global school health promoting initiatives were recorded in Maldives. The participating SEAR countries reported on the sensitization of primary healthcare workers through the developed MOOC modules. Conclusion: The developed massive open online course module was acknowledged to be an improved and interactive tool for primary health care workers by the country's oral health officers for oral health promotion and networking.

Evaluation of Periodontal Awareness, Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Oral and Dental Health of Patients Presenting to Bursa Oral and Dental Health Training and Research Hospital

Periodontal diseases are inflammatory conditions that concern a large part of society and affect the hard and soft tissues around the teeth. These diseases can be treated easily and successfully when diagnosed at an early stage. The present research aimed to determine whether some sociodemographic factors affect periodontal health, reveal the factors that affect it, if any, and conduct studies to reduce the effects of these factors. To this end, a survey was conducted on 300 patients at Bursa Oral and Dental Health Training and Research Hospital to assess their periodontal health and awareness. This survey included questions about patients' oral and dental health, sociodemographic status, periodontal awareness, and examination frequency. The results obtained from the surveys were evaluated using the IBM SPSS Statistics program for statistical analysis. As a result of the statistical analysis, a significant relationship was found between gender, age, frequency of going to the dentist, educational status, frequency of tooth brushing, systemic diseases and smoking, and oral and dental health and periodontal awareness.

TRAINING OF TRAINERS METHOD FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO IMPROVE DENTAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE

Introduction: Many school children suffered from dental caries, which causes children to skip school because of toothache. The involvement of teachers in schools is considered important. The teacher is a model for children who can provide motivation for proper dental health behavior. The purpose of this study is to provide training to elementary school teachers, to increase their dental health knowledge, in order to educate their students. Materials and Methods: This is a pre-experimental design study, which provides dental health training to teachers. This activity involved 4 dentists as trainers, who had previously performed calibration. There are 2 schools involved, namely Saraswati 1 Elementary School and Saraswati 2 Elementary School in Denpasar Bali. A total of 31 teachers who signed the informed consent were included as samples. Dental health education materials are in the form of power points, animated educational videos, dental models, fluoridated toothpaste and toothbrush for children. The questionnaires were used as an instrument. The educational theme is "prevent cavities by brushing your teeth morning and night. Visit the dentist before it's too late". Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank test. \ Results and Discussion: At the beginning of the study, it was found that 25.81% of teachers had the poor knowledge category, and 74.19% were in the middle category. There was no teacher with good knowledge category. However, at the end of the study, 100% of the teachers had good dental health knowledge. There are differences in knowledge of teachers before and after receiving training. Conclusion: Dental and oral health training method for elementary school teachers can improve dental health knowledge, so that teachers are worthy to teach dental health to their students.