Comparative evaluation of webinar, powerpoint presentation and lecture as oral health educational interventions among school children: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Abstract The study compared the effectiveness of three teaching methods on the oral health status of high school children. The study population of 791 school children selected from three different schools was randomly allocated to one of three intervention groups: (i) Webinar group (Online presentation)—260 subjects, (ii) Face to Face lecture using PowerPoint presentation (F2F PP group)—261 subjects and (iii) Control group (Only lecture)—270 subjects. Subjects from the Webinar group and F2F PP group received oral health education at an interval of 15 days starting from baseline. Subjects from the control group received oral health education only at baseline. Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) and Gingival Index (GI) were measured at baseline, at 1 month, 2 months’ and 3 months’ interval. OHI and GI showed a significant reduction (P = 0.001) in the Webinar group and F2F PP group; However, in the control group, OHI and GI reduced from baseline till second month and showed an increase at 3 months’ interval. F2F PP group showed a maximum reduction in OHI and GI followed by the Webinar group. It can be concluded that F2F PowerPoint-based oral health education was most effective followed by the webinar method.