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Evaluation of a 7‐year school‐based community dental hygiene programme in Portugal by high school teachers
Author(s) -
Assunção VA,
Luis HS,
Bernardo MF,
Martin MD,
Leroux B,
DeRouen TA,
Leitão JM
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of dental hygiene
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.674
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1601-5037
pISSN - 1601-5029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2007.00286.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hygiene , oral hygiene , dental hygiene , medical education , amalgam (chemistry) , dentistry , family medicine , chemistry , electrode , pathology
Objectives: To obtain high school teachers evaluation of a Community Dental Hygiene programme, developed as part of a clinical trial designed to assess the safety of low‐level mercury exposure from amalgam restorations. Methods: A questionnaire to assess programme evaluation, personal opinion on programme relevance and satisfaction with activities was distributed among teachers. It had a total of 22 questions organized into three groups. Results: A total of 25 questionnaires were obtained from teachers who participated in the programme. Ninety‐two per cent of the respondents had a positive opinion concerning the existence of the programme. Eighty‐eight per cent of the teachers believed that the programme changed student’s knowledge about dental hygiene. Ninety‐two per cent of teachers supported the existence of the programme and 88% of them disagreed with a statement that participation in the programme was a waste of time. Teachers who did not collaborate actively with dental hygiene activities indicated belief that the programme affected school activities ( P = 0.003). Teachers who actively participated in the programme believe that dental hygiene activities were important for students ( P = 0.005). Conclusions: Teacher evaluations of this kind of programme are critical for the development of school‐based Dental Hygiene Education programmes. Teachers believe that Dental Hygiene Education is crucial for students’ well‐being.