A model of experiential learning for teenagers’ oral hygiene habits

Abstract

While regarding oral hygiene remain the most important habit in preventing carious disease, teenagers might represent a vulnerable group because of tendency to adopt risky behaviors and neglect their health. On the other hand, teenagers represent a challenging group for educators involved in oral health educational program because of the difficulties for adolescence to respond to traditional learning methods. Aiming to educate adolescents through interactive and active participation regarding not only the basic tooth brushing but also the secondary means for oral hygiene, Com4You oral health educational program designed and applied activities using experiential learning. Accordingly, to this concept developed by David Kolb, participants learn by doing using the cycle: concrete experience (“Do”), observation and reflection (“Observe”), forming abstract concepts (“Think”), testing in new situation (“Plan”). The Department of Oral Heath and Community Dentistry from Faculty of Dentistry, UMF “Carol Davila”, Bucharest, started applying the oral health lessons using experiential learning in a pilot longitudinal study between 2014 and 2017, in 3 public schools in Bucharest, with small working groups of 5-10 teenagers and a working time of 10-15 minutes per activity. The results of the research showed a proper feedback from participants and a significant improvement regarding oral hygiene-related knowledge and behavior.