Project Title: Improving Children’s Oral Health

Introduction
Establishing a proper oral hygiene routine at an early age in children reduces the risks of
developing caries in permanent teeth. Oral health affects overall health, social adjustment,
school performance wellness, and the child’s overall growth (Geetha Priya et al., 2019) .
Despite the need for proper oral health in children, most populations have struggled with the
oral care pattern adjustments in children. Parents are not equipped with appropriate
knowledge and skills to help their children learn how to maintain proper oral health. Several
factors have been associated with oral health challenges in children, including environmental,
genetic, and behavioral factors (AlKlayb et al., 2017) . Therefore, parents reporting for oral
and dental care often present challenges of dental decay, tooth fillings, or missing teeth that
can be addressed with proper dental care. Despite the availability of research on oral health in
children, I could not find sufficient research on the impact of education on children’s oral
health behavioral patterns. Information about education programs to prepare early childhood
educators on the oral hygiene among their students is also limited. The purpose of this study is
to use questionnaires to evaluate the validity of children’s behavior patterns associated with
their oral health care. Additionally, the study seeks to establish the impact of oral literacy on
children’s overall health.
Research Hypothesis
Preschool and early young school-going-age children with poor oral health, as indicated by
dental plague, mucosal lesions, gingivitis, decayed teeth, and infectious dental processes, can
improve their oral and overall health through improved oral literacy.
Literature Review

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Different research studies have been conducted to ascertain the impact of education on oral
health among children. The studies have been focused on diverse populations, including
parents, children, and their teachers. Other studies have also researched the knowledge levels
of these populations on the significance of oral health on overall health, social adjustments,
and academic achievement of children based on their oral health status. In a systematic review
to establish the effectiveness of school dental health education on the oral health status and
the knowledge of children, the researchers concluded that school dental health education had
a positive impact on the oral health status, practice behavior, and knowledge of children
(Geetha Priya et al., 2019) . However, the study recommended that there is a need for high-
quality Randomized Controlled Trials analyzing the effectiveness of the strategy on specific
oral health outcomes.
Another research study on school-going children focused on the knowledge of rural
schoolteachers about oral health and their perceived roles in oral health education. According
to the findings of this study, rural schoolteachers consider themselves as integrating oral
health topics in their current subjects and admit to having limited knowledge of oral health
(Lopez et al., 2020) . Therefore, these studies have identified a gap in specific oral health
outcomes and the need to train rural schoolteachers on the oral health of the children they
teach in school. Parents also require training on oral health education and how to improve oral
health behavior among children and improve their understanding of the significance of oral
health.
Preschool children also need proper oral health behavior to ensure they have better oral and
overall health outcomes later in life. In a research study to investigate the predictive factors of
oral health behavior among preschoolers, the theory of planned behavior was considered a

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significant predictor of children’s oral health behavior (Soltani et al., 2018) . Moreover, the
predictor can be used to design effective prevention interventions to help improve oral
hygiene behavior among children. Another Randomized Controlled Trial indicated that social
stories could be used to enhance oral health-related behaviors among preschool children with
special health care needs due to their family sociodemographic statuses and adaptive skills
(Zhou et al., 2020) . According to the studies reviewed in the current literature review, oral
health education is essential to parents, children, and their teachers to improve oral hygiene
behavior.
Methodology
The research study will employ oral behavioral questionnaires and administered to different
populations, including the parents, children, and teachers. Additionally, the researchers will
collect and evaluate oral examination data from clinics participating in the survey. The
questionnaire will contain questions about the participants’ sociodemographic status, oral
hygiene behavior and routines, and participants’ perceptions of their oral and general health as
well as their oral hygiene awareness levels. Oral hygiene education will be conducted, and
monthly reviews of oral health examination conducted to ascertain the changes in oral
hygiene behavior and routines. Current validity will be assessed using missing teeth, tooth
decay, fillings, and perceptions of their dental health behavior.
Overview of the Approach
The research study will be conducted among Northern California rural preschool and early
school-going-age children. The data will be collected based on the disease levels as reported
in their clinic visit records. The questionnaires will be self-administered with 20 open-ended
items that could take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Additionally, the patients will be

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sent home with oral health education materials to share with their parents. Teachers in rural
schools will also be provided with oral hygiene education materials for children and how to
incorporate them into their school curriculum.
Research Population
This research study’s research study would be preschool and early young school going-age
children living in the Northern California region. Randomized parents and teachers will be
selected from 20 random dental clinics on a voluntary basis.
Sampling Procedure
The research study will use random sampling of the participating clinics, parents, teachers,
and children. The participants will be required to join the research study voluntarily.
Measurements
The research study will collect data on demographic factors, including gender, age, race, and
social demographics. Current oral health knowledge will be assessed before and after
administering the questionnaires. Monthly dental clinic visits will be recommended for the
participants for a 12-month period. The oral hygiene routine and behaviors that will be
assessed include tooth brushing and flossing habits, snack and sugar intake, and the use of
dental services. Oral literacy will also be assessed across all participants.
Potential Threats to Validity and Reliability of Data
The potential threat to the validity and reliability of the data is the age of the children under
study. Younger preschool children might not keep track of their oral hygiene. Additionally,
the lack of commitment of the parents to their children’s oral health, especially in rural and
low-income families, might lead to inaccurate data.
Ethical Considerations

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The ethical considerations for this research study include the confidentiality of patient
information, informed consent, anonymity, informed consent, do no harm, voluntary
enrolment and participation in the study, and only assessing the relevant components of the survey