# Impact of Oral Health Training on Primary Health Care Workers in Gandaki Province of Nepal: A Pilot Study

## TL;DR

A pilot study in Nepal found that oral health training significantly improved knowledge and practices among primary health care workers.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted oral health training for primary health care workers in a specific regional context.

## Key findings

- Oral health knowledge improved by 55.25% after the training (p < 0.001).
- Use of interdental aids like dental floss increased from 35.29% to 86.36% post-training.

## Abstract

This study was done to assess the impact of oral health training on primary health care (PHC) workers in Gandaki Province, Nepal.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted among 24 PHC providers (auxiliary health workers [AHWs], and public health inspectors [PHIs]) attending the oral health training from 11 districts of Gandaki province. A non-randomized sampling technique was used. All participants present during the training session who provided written informed consent were included in the study. Dental experts provided training to the participants for 6 days, the last week of April 2025. The method of training uses a PowerPoint presentation, different tooth models and brushing models, diagnostic instruments, fluoride varnish, and videos. Oral health training was evaluated by assessing the improvements in oral health knowledge (OHK) and practice. There were 30 questions for assessing OHK and 8 questions for oral health practices. After completion of the study, data were entered in a Microsoft Excel Sheet version 2013 and analyzed using R 4.3.2 software. The level of significance was set at p  < 0.05. Paired t-test was used to compare the baseline and the end of training for knowledge scores.

The participants' mean age was 32.04 ± 7.54 years, ranging from 21 to 44 years. The overall knowledge was improved by 55.25% from 16.83 ± 2.82 to 26.13 ± 2.38 (p  < 0.001, Cohen's d = 3.54) after training, a statistically significant difference. Before the training, most participants had good oral hygiene practices. There was a slight improvement in these practices after the training. At baseline, 35.29% (6 participants) were using dental floss among those using interdental aids, while after training, this percentage increased to 86.36% (19 participants).

The study concluded that oral health training effectively improved knowledge and practices related to oral health.

Clinical Trial Registry India (CTRI) identifier: CTRI/2024/04/065782 (REF/2024/04/082334)