Oral health curriculum for school children

Not yet recruiting

Conditions: Dental caries,

Registration Number: CTRI/2022/12/048304

Lead Sponsor: Indian Council of Medical Research ICMR

Brief Summary: This is a cluster-randomized trial with the intervention arm receiving the developed oral health curriculum and the control arm continuing with the existing school health curriculum. The intervention arm is subdivided into two groups - group 1 where the curriculum will be administered by the dental professional and group 2 where the school teacher will administer the curriculum. The target population is children from grades 1-7 in CBSE, ICSE, and state syllabus schools in Ernakulam and Kollam districts in Kerala. Both English and Malayalam medium schools will be selected. Each school will be considered a cluster. The minimum cluster size is 20 students per school.

Selected schools are randomized using the lottery method. The total sample size is 6000. Data will be collected at baseline, after 1 year (mid-term), and after 2 years (final). The outcome measures are DMFT (Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth index), OHI-S (Oral Hygiene Index -simplified), and KAB (Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour). Data collection will be carried out by clinical oral examination and KAB questionnaire.

The developed oral health curriculum will comprise oral hygiene instructions and demonstrations for oral health promotion which will be implemented to the schoolchildren for a period of two years. One session will be conducted every four months. The curriculum will be divided into modules with age-appropriate instructions for students. Lesson plans with instructions, hands-on demonstrations, handouts, or master copy will also be provided.

Change in index scores (DMFT, OHI-S) and difference in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour regarding oral hygiene post-intervention will be measured and a comparison of scores between intervention and control groups will be done. We will also compare and calculate the scores of the intervention group between participants taught by dentist and school teacher

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Not Yet Recruiting

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 6000

Inclusion Criteria

Students of standards 1 to 7 in schools at Ernakulam and Kollam districts of Kerala ii.
Students who are willing to participate in the study and whose parents/ guardians have given the consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Students who are not willing to participate in the study.
Students whose parents/ guardians do not give consent for participating in the study.

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in index scores (DMFT, OHI-S) and difference in knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral hygiene	- Baseline \| - After 1 year \| - After 2 years
post-intervention	- Baseline \| - After 1 year \| - After 2 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Index and KAB Score comparison	2

Trial Locations

Locations (1): Amrita School of Dentistry
🇮🇳
Ernakulam, KERALA, India
Amrita School of Dentistry
🇮🇳Ernakulam, KERALA, India
Dr Chandrashekar Janakiram
Principal investigator
9481789572
sekarcandra@gmail.com