Effectiveness of school dental screening on stimulating dental attendance rates in Vikarabad town: A randomized controlled trial

• Main Authors: Gadde Praveen, Mohammad Shakeel Anjum, P Parthasarathi Reddy, M Monica, K Yadav Rao, Muhammad Zabirunnisa Begum
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
• Series: Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
• Subjects: Dental attendance rates; dental screening programme; school children
• Online Access: http://www.jiaphd.org/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2014;volume=12;issue=2;spage=70;epage=73;aulast=Praveen
• ISSN: 2319-5932; 2350-0484

Background: The school dental screening program has been in existence from the beginning of 20 th century. Its value in encouraging attendance among school children is not fully established. Aim: The aim was to determine the effectiveness of school dental screening on stimulating dental attendance rates among school children in Vikarabad town. Objectives: (a) To compare the dental attendance rates between 6-9 and 10-13 years old age groups, among male and female school children in Vikarabad town. (b) To identify the type of dental treatment received by the school children. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted among school children aged 6-13 years old from 16 schools that were randomly selected and divided into two groups. Eight schools had a dental screening program (study group = 300 children) and had blanket referral cards and 8 schools that did not have the intervention (control group = 300). The dental attendance rates were determined after 3 months of follow-up period by evaluating the blanket referral cards for the study group and by an oral questionnaire for the control group. Results: The dental attendance rate was 27% for the study group and 18% for the control group which is statistically significant. The attendance rate was higher among 10-13 years of children both in test group and control groups. Among the children who visited the dentist, 53% in the control group and 69% from the test group got simple amalgam and glass ionomer cement restorations. Conclusion: The dental attendance rates were improved following school dental screening.