TY - JOUR AU - Golshah, Amin AU - Salahshour, Mahya AU - Kiani , Maryam AU - Fatahi , Ali PY - 2021/03/26 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Effect of Traditional and Virtual Oral Hygiene Instruction to School Health Instructors on Plaque Index of Elementary Schoolchildren JF - Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences JA - Open Access Maced J Med Sci VL - 9 IS - D SE - Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry DO - 10.3889/oamjms.2021.5867 UR - https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/5867 SP - 68-71 AB - <p><strong>AIM: </strong>This study compared the effect of traditional and virtual oral hygiene instruction to school health instructors on plaque index (PI) of elementary schoolchildren.</p><p><strong>METHODS AND MATERIALS: </strong>In this descriptive, analytical study, 66 elementary schools in Kermanshah city were selected by cluster sampling. The school health instructors first participated in a pretest and filled out a questionnaire. The O’Leary’s index of 339 elementary schoolchildren was measured at baseline. Next, the school health instructors received oral hygiene instructions in two groups (n = 33) of virtual instruction through an online course and traditional classroom setting. After 3 weeks, a post-test was held and school health instructors filled out the same questionnaire for the 2<strong><sup>nd </sup></strong>time. After 3 months, the PI of students was measured again. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and ANOVA.</p><p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Both instruction methods significantly enhanced the oral hygiene knowledge of instructors (p &lt; 0.001) but virtual instruction was significantly more effective (p = 0.02). No significant association was noted between age, work experience of instructors, or their level of education with their knowledge level in the virtual group (p &gt; 0.05). An inverse correlation was noted between age and work experience of instructors with their knowledge level in the traditional instruction group (p &lt; 0.05). Both instruction methods caused significant improvement of PI of students (p &lt; 0.001) but virtual instruction was more effective (p &lt; 0.001).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>Correct oral hygiene instruction to school health instructors (preferably by virtual instruction) can reduce PI elementary schoolchildren.</p> ER -