Oral Health Promotion Programme for Rural School Children in Al qaa /Lebanon

The community based model intervention was run in collaboration with the American University of Beirut as part of the EC project of Bedouin Health in Jordan and Lebanon that is co-ordinated from the University of Warwick.

The intervention took place in the remote area of al-Qaa around 10 kilometers (six miles) from Hermel, in the Bekaa Valley. The programme was targeted at the Al Dora Al Rasmia School; the fundamental aim of the intervention was to promote good oral health for pupils.  

Participants

A total of 72 school children aged 6-13, and 36 nursery children aged 3-5 took part in the intervention programme. The project was supervised and carried out by a dental team of three recently graduated dentists working under the direction of  a specialist in Community Dentistry who has been working on this intervention in both Lebanon and Jordan.

Objectives

The aims of the model intervention were to:

• enhance the knowledge of the causes of oral diseases, and the prevention of these
•  promote positive healthy behaviors,
• develop personal oral hygiene skills among children.

The oral hygiene model intervention

The programme consisted of two days of activities at the school.  The first activity was a session, where appropriate oral health educational materials such as macro models, leaflets and pictures were shown   to the pupils in order to teach them the value of having healthy teeth.  Information was also given on how to prevent gum diseases and dental decay.

Training on oral hygiene practices was given to the children and the benefit of a healthy diet was promoted through small group discussions held at three different work stations featuring healthy food, oral hygiene material, and healthy teeth and gums. The session was then followed by a practical demonstration on tooth brushing techniques by a member of the dental team that took place in the school play ground.

The children became thoroughly engaged and were encouraged to brush their teeth in a non threatening environment, as an educational fun activity. The staff and management of the school were also fully involved.  At the end of the sessions, tooth brushes and tooth paste were distributed to all children along with leaflets using graphics reinforcing the main messages on good oral health. 

By the end of the intervention, children showed a substantial interest in their oral health. With friendly guidance from the dental team, children’s attitudes were transformed and they were proud to show their clean teeth to their teachers and members of their families.

A similar intervention with dental examinations and pre and post test evaluations was conducted in the North Eastern Desert of Jordan.