Mayra Quiroz

Becca Delord
Iesha Washington
Implementation of Oral Health Program – Part II

Dates:

Session 1: February 6th, 2018

Session 2: April 5th, 2018

Session 3: April 16th, 2018

Session 4: April 17th, 2018

Program Design:

First Session

Tuesday February 6th, 2018 1:00 pm

The first session was a phone interview with Mrs. Jackson, the teacher of our target population. Iesha
began the interview with explaining why we were doing the program, what our goals were, what we
would be presenting at each session and confirmed the days that we would be going. She emphasized to
her that children are receptive to new information, so the earlier the good oral habits are established
the greater their impact. Iesha then asked her questions in regards to the school’s history and learned
that in 2011, two schools Dunbar and Ogden, were combined to form the now present Charlton-Pollard
elementary school. Mrs. Jackson stated she was there during the switch and that there were previous
oral health programs done at Dunbar elementary, but none since the establishment of the new school.
Because of this, the students had little to no knowledge about oral health. She told Iesha to look at the
school’s website if we needed more detailed information about the history. Iesha then asked her about
her education level and learned that she has two bachelor degrees, one in education and the other in
family/community services along with a minor in art. She stated that her class consisted of twenty first
grade students and after sending home participation permission slips, only thirteen responded. The last
question to Mrs. Jackson was if the school had a water fluoridation system and responded that she was
unaware. Therefore, we called the city of Beaumont’s water supply company and they told us it was
currently off but would be turned back on February 13th.

Second Session

Thursday April 5th, 2018 1:00 pm

After taking the thirteen students to the library and presenting ourselves, we began our session with
explaining why we were there and what we would be doing during each visit. Right after, we handed
them each the pre-test along with a colored pencil and asked them to circle what they thought were
healthy foods and mark an ‘X’ through the ones they thought were unhealthy. We then collected the
papers and began our discussion over nutrition. We went over each food on the pre-test and had them
raise their hand to state whether it was healthy or unhealthy. Some answered correctly but others did
not. We then asked if they knew what a cavity was, and although they had an idea none were truly
correct. To explain the link between foods and cavities, we began with talking about plaque. We told
them that it’s a sticky white substance that forms on teeth and contains bacteria which we referred to
as “sugar bugs”. We explained how certain foods will cause these “sugar bugs” to produce acid that can
then lead to the formation of a cavity or a “hole” in their tooth. We emphasized how having good oral
health is important in the prevention of cavities, since these can create further problems in the future if
not treated, such as losing the teeth. We then showed a short video clip on nutrition and oral health to
reinforce what we had discussed. To conclude our session, we did an activity where the students
received stickers of healthy and unhealthy foods and had them each put their stickers on a poster board
under the correct section. The students really enjoyed the activity and all of them placed their stickers in
the correct spot. Once done, we reviewed the lesson topic making sure they remembered the saying
“plaque is whack”. Once we returned the children to the classroom, we discussed with Mrs. Jackson that
if the situation of passing out snacks ever presents, to provide healthier snack options for the students
to further promote the good habit.

Third Session

Monday April 16th, 2018 1:00 pm

We began the second session with the thirteen students by reviewing the information that was taught
during the last visit about nutrition, and asked each to name a healthy food and what a cavity was. All
the students were able to name correctly healthy foods but there were a few who couldn’t remember
that a cavity is a hole in the tooth so we briefly went over it again. We then introduced the day’s topic of
toothbrushing by asking the students if they knew how many times a day they should be brushing and
for how long. Some answered correctly saying it should be done twice a day but none of them knew it
should be done for two minutes. We explained to the students that that we all need to be brushing in
the morning and at night because we want to make sure we remove the sugar bug’s that collect on the
teeth throughout the day, and for two minutes to make sure we get all the areas in the mouth and not
miss any spots. After, we demonstrated on a typodont how to correctly brush our teeth explaining the
different sections that need to be cleaned (cheek side, tongue side, and biting side) and that they need
to be using a circular motion for the back teeth and up-and-down motion for the front teeth. We had a
few of the student’s volunteer to show us there newly learned technique and they demonstrated it
accurately. Next, we handed out a laminated paper with a tooth printed on it and dry erase markers. We
asked them to draw on “sugar bugs” and while doing so, gave each a tooth brush for them to use to
brush off the bugs using the brushing technique we taught. Lastly, we showed a video about
toothbrushing and its importance to reinforce the day’s discussion. We reviewed the lesson for the day
and returned the students to their classroom.
Fourth Session

Tuesday April 17th, 2018 1:00 pm

To begin our final session, we reviewed with the thirteen students our previous topics about
toothbrushing and plaque and had them raise their hands to tell us what they remembered about it.
They all remembered that they should be brushing two times a day for two minutes because “plaque is
whack”. We praised them and then went into discussing fluoride and how it prevents the formation of
cavities. We explained that it acts as a shield to their teeth against the “sugar bugs” to block their acid
and at the same time strengthen the teeth. We then passed out tooth pictures, a napkin with glue and a
paint brush to begin the activity. We told them the glue was a representation of fluoride and asked
them to paint it onto their paper tooth. Once dried, we showed them how the hardened glue created a
shiny layer which represents the shield that fluoride creates on their teeth. They were very impressed
and stated they understood it better after completing the activity. Next, we showed them a video about
fluoride and how it works to emphasize our discussion. Finally, we gave them each the post-test to see if
there was any improvement in their oral health knowledge. As they returned the paper they received a
goody bag which contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, a two-minute hourglass timer and a sticker. We
told them we had a very fun time doing this project with them.

Program Objectives:

To increase the student’s nutrition awareness by the last visit by 5%

We met the objective by discussing cavity formation, explaining how bacteria (“sugar bugs”) found in
plaque produce acid when exposed to sugars and certain foods. We also conducted an activity that
served as a visual aid for the students to see and put in practice what was taught. In addition, a short
video clip that summarized the topic was shown.

To demonstrate proper brushing on a typodont then have them do it on themselves

To attain expected results, we demonstrated proper brushing on a typodont and had the students show
us and their class the newly taught technique. We also conducted an activity where the students had to
brush off the “sugar bugs” from a laminated tooth while making sure they performed it correctly, doing
circular motion when we said back teeth and up-and-down motion when we said front teeth. A short
video clip about toothbrushing was played at the end of the lesson to reinforce what was taught.

To educate the students of the important role fluoride has in cavity prevention

The objective was met by explaining to the students how the mineral fluoride strengthens teeth and
aids in cavity protection by forming a shield over them. We also created an activity for the students
where they each received a paper tooth and had them paint glue over it to represent fluoride’s action of
forming a protective layer over the tooth. To recap the lesson, we played a short video clip that talked
about fluoride.

To help the children appreciate the importance of a healthy mouth

To meet the objective, we discussed with the students the different consequences that can results from
having bad oral health. We stated how cavities that are not treated can lead to a lot of pain and
eventually the loss of the tooth. We also mentioned esthetics, saying how the build-up of “sugar bugs”
can make the teeth yucky and yellow. We told the students how not brushing can make there gums red
and cause them to bleed. On our last day, we concluded the visit with making them several questions of
the different topics we covered during the program to refresh and make sure they understood
everything that was taught.

Results:

To increase the student’s nutrition awareness by the last visit by 5%

An initial pretest was given to the first-grade students to determine their nutritional awareness and level
of understanding. The test would give us a baseline of their nutritional knowledge and to determine at
the end of the program if their awareness of their nutritional needs had increased. There was positive
feedback and took minimal time. At the end of the program we administered a post-test which was the
same as the pre-test, there was a 10% increase which exceeded our goal of 5% by the last visit.

To demonstrate proper brushing on a typodont then have them do it on themselves

During the third session, we discussed what plaque is and why it’s important that we properly remove it.
We explained the importance of brushing and demonstrated the correct technique on the typodont. We
explained to each student that they should be brushing twice a day for two minutes. Afterwards we
showed the students a video on brushing and they all enjoyed it. In the end we had a couple of students
come forward and demonstrate the correct technique we taught them, and they did it correctly.

To educate the students of the important role fluoride has in cavity prevention

In our fourth and final session we discussed how fluoride helps prevent cavities, its importance, and its
role in maintaining teeth strong. We showed a video clip about fluoride and at the end of the video
asked questions about in regards to it, the majority of students understood the information and were
able to answer correctly.
To help the children appreciate the importance of a healthy mouth

The students were very excited about everything we taught them and were enthusiastic to learn more
each day we went. They were always eager to ask questions and give answers, especially when naming
foods to see if they were healthy or not. On the last day, we reviewed all the information that was
taught throughout the program by asking a variety of questions and we were very pleased with the
feedback we received. Ultimately, they all said they didn’t want yucky teeth and didn’t want them to
hurt or fall out so they would make sure to brush properly and eat healthy snacks/foods.

Evaluation:

Strengths: The outcomes of our objectives were very successful.

Our knowledge was excellent on the topics with education about healthy nutritional habits and the
value of oral health care.

 We educated the target population about what plaque is, where it comes from, and
how important it is to remove it. We succeeded in showing them the proper brushing
technique to effectively remove debris from the oral cavity. We educated them on the
process of cavity formation and the consequences that can occur along the way.

We made the learning aspect of the program fun.

 We handed out stickers of healthy and unhealthy foods to put on a poster board, played
short videos about plaque, toothbrushing and fluoride, and handed out paper teeth
with markers for them to demonstrate proper brushing and see what fluoride does
when applied to teeth. The students really enjoyed these activities and gave us big hugs
in the end.

Weakness: The site was not able to pull up youtube.com on the projector so the video had to be played
on our cell phones. The target population was a little miss behaved at times, so that pulled away from
the learning time because we had to stop for a while to handle behavioral problems. Some of the target
subjects were special needs. We would recommend having a backup plan in case the site is not
equipped to play videos from a specific website. We also recommend separating miss behaved kids from
the group to keep them on task without distractions. It would benefit the students if there were not
disruptions, this way everyone can learn.

Future site for oral health program:

Oral health programs should be implemented at schools throughout the whole country since the
education of oral health is not a required topic. We cannot stress enough the importance of educating
children at a young age all the aspects of good oral health. As mentioned above, the earlier the good
oral habits are established the greater their impact. If children are constantly reminded throughout the
school years of maintaining good oral hygiene techniques, having proper nutrition to aid in the
prevention of cavities and the importance of fluoride and twice-a-year cleanings, we truly believe it can
make a huge impact on reduction of oral disease in the future. We definitely recommend future oral
health programs to be held at our program site. We were able to increase the overall oral health
knowledge of one first grade class, however there are still many other grades that could benefit from
these programs. The staff in the school were very nice and helpful, and although we did hit a bump in
scheduling due to STAR testing on one of the weeks we had planned to go, we were able to quickly
resolve the issue thanks to the teacher. Plus, they are very flexible when it comes to scheduling which
made things much easier for us.

Learning value:

When we first began working on the oral health program, we were somewhat intimidated by the
amount of information that was required to be input. However, after analyzing our project at its
completion, we feel that we’ve learned so many things. One of them being that teaching first grade
students requires a lot of patience and encouragement. Many times, when a student would answer
incorrectly they would look down and pout. Nevertheless, we made sure to always encourage them and
explain that this is all new information and that they would understand with time and repetition. We
also had to have patience when it came to behavior because we were teaching the students after lunch
and they would sometimes be easily distracted. Although there were a few challenges we encountered,
we were able to adapt very quickly. We learned that in order to get their attention throughout the
lesson, we had to have a balance between being somewhat authoritative yet at the same time be nice to
develop a connection with them. We also learned at the beginning of the program that the majority of
students did not know how many times and for how long to brush their teeth, the correct technique,
and what foods were healthy and unhealthy. This allowed us to see first-hand how important oral health
education is and how it can significantly impact the student’s lives. The children showed their
appreciation by giving us hugs and asking us when we were coming back, and we must say it’s such a
great feeling.

Collaboration:

The collaboration from all three of us truthfully made doing the oral health program be much easier. We
had very good communication and talked about the information we would be presenting each day
before going to the school to ensure we were all on the same page. We each decided which topics we
would like to cover and we learned new strengths and weaknesses that each of us possess. We feel that
our program was very successful based on the good review we were given on our survey. We know that
sometimes collaboration from people in groups is not always successful, but thankfully that was not a
problem we had to share.
Appendix:

 Pre-test
 Post-test
 Lesson Plans
 Tooth coloring pages for activities
 Program Evaluation form