Improving Student's Self-Efficacy and Perceived Susceptibility Toward Oral and Dental Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to assess the impact of educational intervention on female junior high school students' perceived susceptibility and self-efficacy regarding oral and dental health. Methods: We recruited 100 female junior high school students (50 in intervention and 50 in control group) from Falavarjan city using multistage random sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data about study variables. Students in the intervention group attended five 90-minute sessions designed to teach the students about dental hygiene. Results: We found no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the preintervention mean scores of knowledge, perceived susceptibility, and self-efficacy (p > 0.050). The postintervention mean scores in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.050). Conclusions: Training plans with particular behavioral goals and good instructional strategies can be useful in empowering students toward dental health.