Effectiveness of the dento activity book on preschool children's dental health knowledge: a quasi-experimental study

Dwi Kurniawati, Della Kusumawati Lupianto, Morita Sari, Septriyani Kaswindiarti

Abstract


Introduction: Poor dental health in early childhood is a significant concern. Data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey indicates that the prevalence of dental and oral problems among the population aged 3 years and older reached 56.9%, with a large proportion being caries. One of the contributing factors is knowledge. Education is essential for enhancing awareness and understanding. To aid understanding, various media are employed. The Dento Activity Book serves as an educational tool, designed as an activity book that aims to teach children about dental and oral health. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the Dento Activity Book in improving preschool children's dental knowledge. Methods: This research utilized a quasi-experimental design that features a pre-post test with a non-equivalent control group. A total of 46 children from Permata Hati Islamic Kindergarten were selected as participants. Knowledge was assessed through a structured interview administered before and after the educational intervention. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The average knowledge score for the treatment group increased by 1.96, while the control group saw an increase of 0.30, yielding a significant value of 0.00 (p<0.05). Conclusion: The Dento Activity Book effectively enhances preschool children's understanding of how to maintain their dental and oral health.


Keywords


Dento activity book, education, knowledge, preschool

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24198/pjd.vol38no1.65755

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