Effect of an educational intervention about midwifery student's knowledge and preparedness on oral health care in pregnant mothers

As midwives are in frequent contact with pregnant mothers، they may play a key role in their oral health care (OHC). In this study، we aimed to evaluate the effect of an educational program on Tehran University of Medical Sciences midwifery students’ knowledge and preparedness on OHC in pregnant mothers. The midwifery third year students of central campus (n=29) were randomly selected as intervention group and their counterparts in Hemmat campus (n=33) as control. Students in both groups were asked to fill in a questionnaire included 8 demographic question and 18 OHC knowledge and one question on their preparedness to implement OHC. Then the educational intervention was implemented using lecture، demonstration of the correct methods of brushing and flossing on the models and role play method. The follow- up questionnaire was delivered 3 months later. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney test، T-test، Chi-Square test، ANOVA and Regression by SPSS software. The mean OHC in pregnancy knowledge score in intervention and control group were 26. 7 and 24. 8 at baseline which were changed into 48. 5 and 29. 1، respectively (P<0. 001). Among the students 52. 6% in the intervention group and 36. 4% in the control group reported very high preparedness to implement OHC in pregnancy. These figures were 68. 2% and 41. 7% in the post-test. The promising findings of this educational intervention comprising of both student and teacher-centered methods speak for possibility of improving these students knowledge and preparedness and implies on the necessity to incorporate the related course in midwifery education.