PRELIMINARY STUDY REGARDING OPTIMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND HEALTHY PRACTICAL SKILLS IN ORAL HEALTH, AT MIDDLE SCHOOL PUPILS, FROM RURAL AREAS

Oct 15, 2026

Preliminary research investigates oral problems and promotes healthy lifestyle practices among Romanian middle-school pupils in a disadvantaged rural area. The study assesses progress after theoretical and practical interventions delivered through Health Education and Biology, complemented by an expanded visit-based approach that supports practical applicability. A dental control during a dentist visit was added for fifth graders to identify oral diseases and provide recommendations and treatment. Combined teaching methods improved students’ intellectual and practical oral-hygiene skills, strengthening prevention awareness tied to diet, regular check-ups, and proper brushing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Oral diseases as a public health problem

Health education and science teaching approaches

Role of biology teachers and teaching resources

Materials and methods

Study hypothesis

Participants

PRELIMINARY STUDY REGARDING OPTIMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND HEALTHY PRACTICAL SKILLS IN ORAL HEALTH, AT MIDDLE SCHOOL PUPILS, FROM RURAL AREAS Adriana PETRUȘ-VANCEA, Lucia ȘTIRB Abstract. The purpose of this preliminary study was to identify oral problems and promote a healthy lifestyle at gimnazial school pupils, from a Romanian disadvantaged area. We wanted to identify the progress made by pupils following theoretical or practical interventions. Thus, along with the theoretical notions transmitted, either in the optional course of Health Education, to 6th grade pupils, or in Biology lessons, to 7th grade pupils, the new factor brought was the reinventing of the visit method, by extending the documentary feature, with that of practical applicability, extremely useful for participants coming from rural environment. Theoretical elements have been presented to all pupils. Additionally, at the 5th grade pupils, we added a practical intervention, respectively a dental control made during a visit to the dentist. Both through theoretical and practical methods, pupils have made progress concerning intellectual and practical skills in oral hygiene, which are essential to a healthy and responsible behavior. The visit at the dentist’s office, the identification of the oral diseases, the recommendation and the treatment offered contributed decisively awareness of the importance of oral disease prevention, but also to identifying concrete solutions, connected to food, regular visits and corect brushing. Key words: education, oral health, disadvantaged area, visit, dentist 1. Introduction Oral diseases are a global public health problem (WHO, 2017) estimated to affect 3.9 billion people (Marcenes et al., 2013) and dental caries affects 60-90% of children and more adults in developed countries. It is increasingly prevalent in developing countries and highly prevalent in some Asian or Latin American countries. At a macro-social level, the education for health represents an evaluation criterion for that specific civilization. Pupils from primary and secondary school are receptive to this initiative (Nakre & Harikiran, 2013), and that is why Mafra et al. (2015) have performed in Portugal experimental science activities in primary school for enable cross-curricular learning. One of their study was the culture medium inoculation with children’s dental plaque both before and after tooth brushing and after that, counted the colonies. Pupils understood that microorganisms can be responsible for the dental caries. These practical works were effective in ensuring young children can easily understand the dental caries causes and what can be done to prevent it. If in the urban environment, in some countries there has been studied a plan to initiate teaching microbiology even in the primary schools (Mafra & Lima, 2009), in less advantaged environments, like the rural one, situation is different, as we will find out in the present preliminary study. Treatments for oral diseases are available in most of developed countries, but they can be expensive and not evermore accessible. Generally, in less developed and poor countries an adequate treatment isnot available. Blanco-López et al. (2016) present a case study to illustrate the design and implementation of a teaching sequence about oral hygiene, which was based on real-life situations, in line with the PISA assessment framework for science and the tenets of a context-based approach to science education. There are often reported such teaching and learning activities of the exact sciences based on context (Fensham, 2009) . The biology teacher and discipline biology play an important role in achieving education for health. Craft et al. (1981) have reported that secondary school teachers ranked third after dentist and parents as an important teaching source and the biology was the most likely subject in which the information has been given. Coleman (1995) concluded that mainly bio

FAQs

What was the main purpose of the preliminary study?

To identify oral problems and promote a healthy lifestyle through oral health education among middle-school pupils from a disadvantaged Romanian rural area.

What interventions did the students receive during the study?

Students received theoretical instruction through Health Education and Biology, and practical components through a strengthened visit method, including a dental control during a dentist visit for fifth graders.

How did the dentist visit contribute to the outcomes?

The visit supported identifying oral diseases and provided recommendations and treatment, helping pupils develop awareness of oral disease prevention and concrete solutions related to food, regular visits, and correct brushing.

Oct 15, 2026

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