Knowledge and attitude of male schoolteachers towards primary dental care

Abstract

Introduction: Children are the most important natural resources. School is a location which helps to promote the health of staff, families, and community members along with the students. Teachers are the most resourceful manpower available to deliver any healthcare at school setup. Aims and Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitude towards primary dental care among male schoolteachers at Al-Kharj Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out involving male teachers working in primary schools at Al-Kharj KSA. A total of 350 teachers were included in this study. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire survey consisting of 17 questions related to knowledge and attitude towards dental care and oral hygiene practices. Results: The overall knowledge was fair among the schoolteachers (65.4%). Al-Kharj male schoolteachers were having a positive attitude. Teaching experience and knowledge showed a statistically significant relation (P < 0.05. Conclusion: Although primary schoolteachers had a fair knowledge and good attitudes towards dental care, there is a need to conduct training programs about oral health education in schools and check how teachers educate their children to maintain dental care.

Keywords

• dental care
• knowledge and attitude
• male teachers
• primary school