Dental health education and learning integration

Abstract

    Sirindhorn College of Public Health Phitsanulok has established a project of learning and academic service integration project for healthy community aiming to integrate learning and academic services in order to provide dental health education to develop healthy behavior at the community. Subjects taught were in the field of health education and behavioral sciences. Dental students were the main knowledge providers of dental health education to 21 students, who were not over 12 years old, at Wat Khao Samo Khlaeng School Rew Siriwat Uppatham,Wang Thong district, Phitsanulok province. The procedures were as
follows: 1) survey of related data 2) project writing  3) approval of the project 4) place and equipment preparation 5) implement to health education plan and 6) summary and evaluation. Regarding the results of providing dental health education and learning integration, it was found that 61 .9 of the students brushed their teeth two times a day, 28.6 percent brushed more than two times a day, and 9.5 percent brushed every day. About 86 percent of the students received dental services at hospitals or
government health care centers. Almost 10 percent of the students received dental services at private clinics while 4.8 percent of the students never received any dental services.
Approximately 43 percent of students were found to have tooth decay and deep fissures, 28.6 percent had decayed tooth whereas 19.0 percent only had deep fissures. Moreover, 9.5 percent of the students did not have either tooth decay or deep fissure.
    Regarding project evaluation, it was found that after dental health education activities, students had higher knowledge, attitude, behavior related to food consumption which affects dental caries than before participating in dental health education activities. Their satisfaction with the activities of integrated learning was at a high level. However, health behaviors should be followed up continuously, such as checking tooth decay, deep fissures, correct tooth brushing, and receiving oral health checkup of the students at health care service centers in order to appropriately assess oral health situation.