A importância da professora na promoção de saúde bucal dos escolares

The school is a favorable atmosphere for the development of health programs and development of preventive measures, as habits of oral hygiene and healthy diet. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to analyze the oral health knowledge of schoolchildren and evaluate the instruments used by the teachers for this purpose in a school of an outlying neighborhood of Piracicaba city. Methods: a program was developed with students of 1st and 2nd grades in the age group from 7 to 8 years and evaluations were made during the period of activities through drawings, games, compositions, music and participations. It was requested to the teachers to develop an instrument of evaluation of the activities, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational-preventive activities. Results: in relation to the knowledge about of what the dentist does and his work place, 82% of the children knew a little or anything about the theme; 83% of the children knew little or almost anything about the anatomical parts of oral cavity and 50% answered correctly what was the dental decay. In relation to the evaluation instruments, it was verified that the teachers were motivated to participate in this activity in view of the varied instruments of evaluation of the information transmitted to the children developed by them and transmitted to the children. Conclusions: it was verified that the program was effective in transmitting important information to the schoolchildren and the evaluation methods elaborated by teachers were effective in evaluating the acquired from the children, besides reinforcing the worked themes. descriptors: Health education dental Health promotion Dental caries Morano Júnior M, Mialhe FL. A importância da professora na promoção de saúde bucal dos escolares Revista de Odontologia da Universidade Cidade de São Paulo 2008 jan-abr; 20(1):19-22