• Nataporn Hatrongjit D.D.S., M.Sc.
• Pornpun Asvanit D.D.S., M.S.
• Busayarat Santiwong D.D.S., Ph.D.

Objective To test dental knowledge and self-dental examination ability in a group of sixth grade
students after viewing an audio-visual media.

Materials and methods The study population consisted of 75 sixth grade students who had 24
permanent teeth, aged 10-13 years old, at the Banmarkkhaeng School, Udonthani Province.
The students were divided into two groups, control or experimental group by simple randomization.
The experimental group viewed an audio-visual media on dental caries while the control group did
not. Ten pictures of carious and sound teeth (10 points) were used in a questionnaire to test dental
knowledge. The students performed self-dental examination on each tooth by using mirrors (24 teeth,
24 points). The tests were done two weeks before and immediately after viewing the media. The mean
improvement of the knowledge scores and the self-dental examination ability scores between the 2
groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test at p < 0.05.

Results The average pre-test and post-test knowledge scores in control group were 4.4 ± 1.7 and 4.9
± 1.7, respectively. In the experimental group, the average pre-test and post-test knowledge scores were
4.3 ± 1.8 and 7.6 ± 1.4, respectively. The mean improvement of knowledge score in the experimental
group was significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001). The average pre-test and post-test
ability scores of self-dental examination in the control group were 20.0 ± 4.8 and 21.6 ± 3.3, respectively.
The average pre-test and post-test ability scores of self-dental examination in experimental
group were 18.9 ± 5.0 and 19.2 ± 5.0, respectively. After viewing the media, the mean improvement of
ability score in the experimental group showed no significant difference from that of the control group
(p = 0.076).

Conclusion The media on dental caries could promote an increase in dental knowledge for this group
of late primary school students. However, a single viewing of the media was not sufficient to improve
the ability for self-dental examination.

(CU Dent J. 2014;37:317-26)