Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Oral Public Health, Dental Research Center, Dental Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Oral Public Health, Dental Materials Research Center, Dental Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Schools are ideal setting for children’s oral health‑promoting programs. It is an
integrated model for oral health‑promoting schools (OHPS) with the capacities of dental school’s
curriculum and dental students as workforces. In this protocol, the principle of planning and
implementation of the oral health program is described.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the PRECEDE‑Policy, Regulatory, and Organizational
Constructs in Educational and Environmental Development (PROCEED) planning model, a framework
for determining the potential predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors that could be intervening
was diagnosed. To adapt the phases of the planning model for integration of the “OHPS” principles
and the dental students’ curriculum, the following steps are supposed to be considered: Phases
1–5 which are to assess the baseline data will include the assessment of children oral health status
and parents and teachers’ knowledge, attitude, and performance. Phase 6 or implementation phase
will be allocated to oral health education interventions for students, parents, and teachers, professional
screening, prevention, and referral. Phase 7 or the process assessment phase will be to record the
number of screened students, the amount of fissure sealant and fluoride provision, and percentage
of trained parents and teachers. Phase 8 or the impact assessment phase will assess the students’
improvement in knowledge and practice, decayed, missing, and filled teeth scores, teachers and
mothers’ oral health attitudes and behaviors, and brushing and flossing behaviors. At the last, cost
analysis of the program and long‑term monitoring of the interventions is suggested.
CONCLUSION: In case that the effectiveness of this model is proven, it can be implemented by other
dental schools for the primary schools in their regions. Considering the number and distribution of
dental schools in the country, this model is executable as targeted population oral health promotion
approach in 6–12‑year‑old schoolchildren.

Keywords

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