Background: In Malaysia, preschool teachers have long been utilised as oral health educators. However their level of oral health knowledge and effectiveness of the training they received are seldom investigated. This study aims to evaluate the of oral health education seminar (OHE) held for public preschool teachers (KEMAS) in terms of the improvement of their knowledge, practices and attitudes.
Methods: This was a one arm interventional study (before and after survey following OHE seminar intervention). All KEMAS preschool teachers (n=107) in Hulu Terengganu were invited to attend OHE seminar which consisted of 1 hour lecture and 40 minutes OHE demonstration. Pretest questionnaire was collected before the seminar started and post-test questionnaire was collected two weeks later. A self-administered questionnaire used in this study was adapted from “preschool teachers’ knowledge, practices and attitudes towards oral health”, National Oral Health Survey of Preschool Children, 2005. Data were analysed using descriptive and McNemar test, SPSS version 15.0.
Results: Of 107 subjects, only 61 teachers responded yielding to 57% response rate. All subjects were female with mean age of 46 years (SD: 6.03). Overall, there was an improvement of teachers’ oral health knowledge, practices and attitudes after the seminar. Several items seem to have be improved significantly after the seminar, for example knowledge item on factors causing periodontal disease (p=0.03). In terms of practice, all teachers reported they brushed teeth at least twice daily using fluoridated toothpaste and use of dental floss was increased significantly after the seminar (p<0.001). Majority of teachers have positive perceptions on their roles in oral health education.
Conclusion: Oral health education seminar appeared to be effective at influencing certain aspects of teachers’ oral health knowledge, practices and attitudes.
Keywords: attitudes, knowledge, oral health promotion, practice, preschool teachers