A Health Education Program for improving Oral Status of Schoolchildren. Effectiveness of Reinforcement in School Dental Health Programs

      Аннотация: The significance of health education in schools has been recognized since decades. The classroom is considered the most adequate setting for presentation of dental health education programs as virtually all children attend school. The rationale behind inclusion of educational activities is that prevention is the key to controlling dental disease. Adolescents are in particular need of preventive programs as they have high levels of plaque, which leads to dental disease. When adolescents care for their teeth, they do so, in particular, to improve appearance and social attractiveness. Attempts to change dental health behavior should therefore be based on the relation of recommended actions to things that are valued by the people involved. Repetition and reinforcement are important for effective dental health education. Therefore, the authors stress on the need for continuous dental health education programs for effective prevention and control of dental disease in school children.

Ключевые слова: knowledge, repetition, Dental Health Education, oral hygiene practices, oral status, plaque index, gingival index, schoolchildren.