Educational program on oral health “Healthy smile”: knowledge and role of legal responsibilities and educators

Abstract

Introduction: to achieve the health of infants and increase their quality of life, the health of legal guardians and educators is of particular importance; their beliefs and behaviors; and the ability, knowledge and will to acquire and provide the infant with healthy ways and styles of life. Objective: determine the effectiveness of the “Healthy Smile” Program in terms of knowledge about oral health of legal representatives and educators, as well as the role of educators of preschool infants. Methods: a quasi-experimental before-after research was carried out where the sample was 86 legal guardians and 9 preschool educators from the “La Demajagua-Atanagildo Cajigal” towns in the period 2021-2023. Results: the pre-university level of instruction predominated (68; 71,579 %) and a regular level of knowledge (73; 76,842 %) before the implementation of the program; the same being modified to good (77; 81,053 %) with a tendency to fair (18; 18,947 %). The educators significantly increased (8; 88,88 %) the reasons for preventing diseases related to the stomatognathic apparatus to maintain good oral hygiene; the results of the student T test showed statistically significant differences in knowledge of caries (X1=3,22; X2=3,80) and about children’s oral health (X1=1,55; X2=3,44). Conclusions: the “Healthy Smile” program was effective in positively modifying the level of knowledge about oral health of legal representatives and educators, as well as in the role assumed by them with respect to the health of the infants in their care.