Abstract :
Dental hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth, teeth and gums clean and healthy by regular brushing and flossing and preventive dental care. The main aim of the study was to improve the knowledge and practice regarding dental hygiene using planned teaching programme among students of sultan-ul-Arifeen senior secondary school Rainawari Srinagar.
Objectives: To assess the pre-test knowledge among school going children regarding dental hygiene. 2. To assess the post-test knowledge after implementation of planned teaching programme. 3. To compare the pre-test knowledge with the post-test knowledge regarding dental hygiene.
Materials and Methods: Pre experimental research design was used for the study. The study was conducted on 45 school going children selected by stratified sampling technique. Data was collected regarding sociodemographic background of the samples and knowledge was assessed by administering structured knowledge questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics includes frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics includes chi square and t-test.
Result: The study result showed that the pre-test knowledge of the children of Sultan-ul-Arifeen senior secondary school Rainawari Srinagar was 60% and the post-test knowledge was 94%. In the pre-test study, majority of children (55.44%) had moderate knowledge, (44.44%) had inadequate pre-test knowledge and none of them had adequate knowledge. In the post test study, majority of school going children (95.55%) had adequate knowledge, 4.44% had moderate knowledge and none of them had inadequate knowledge.
Conclusion: From the above findings it was concluded that majority of school going children had adequate post-test knowledge after administration of planned teaching programme regarding dental hygiene.
Implications: Identifying the knowledge and attitude of school going children regarding dental hygiene can help the nurse in anticipating the need to arrange health education sessions for students deficient in knowledge regarding dental hygiene.
Keyword :
Assessment, Knowledge, Effectiveness, Dental hygiene, Hypothesis