Effectiveness of an oral health education seminar for paediatric and family medicine residents

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ABSTRACT

Aim

To assess the immediate effect of a 60-minute oral health educational seminar for paediatric and family medicine residents in improving their knowledge, attitude, likelihoodtowards incorporating oral health preventive practice in their current practices to well-child visits, and confidence in identifying and referring patients with dental trauma.

Material and methods

Baseline pre- and post-test design was used to evaluate the immediate effect of a 60-minute PowerPoint oral health educational seminar given to the paediatric and family medicine residents. Statistics: Multiple-choice items were used and the pre- and post-test data were analysed with McNemar and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Sixty-eight residents participated in the oral health educational seminar and completed the questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 29.9 years old (SD ±4.8 yrs.). Immediately following a 60-minute oral health educational seminar, there was an overall significant increase in participants’ knowledge, attitudes and likelihood towards incorporating oral health preventive practice in their current practices to well-child visits (p<0.05). More confidence in identifying and referring patients with dental trauma was reported by 100% of participants.

Conclusion

A 60-minute oral health educational seminar was effective in improving paediatric and family medicine residents’ immediate knowledge, attitude, and likelihood towards incorporating oral health preventive practice in their current practices to well-child visits. Significantly more residents felt more confident in identifying and referring patients with dental trauma. Key messages: an oral health educational seminar can be effective in improving paediatric and family medicine residents’ immediate knowledge, attitude, and likelihood towards incorporating oral health preventive practice in their current practices to well-child visits.

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