A Study of Changes in Dental Health Care Behavior of 4-H Youth in Selected Louisiana Parishes. R and T--Summary 51.

The effectiveness of the Dental Hygiene Education Program in changing the dental health care practices of 4-H club youth in four Louisiana parishes and youth knowledge of dental care principles were studied in this before-after experimental design. The study sample consisted of 258 youth from 10 4-H clubs. Subjects completed a four-item questionnaire prior to a demonstration of the whys and hows of dental care and again completed the same questionnaire 30 days after the demonstration. An analysis of the responses shows that of the four dental practices involved, significant behavior change occurred with regard to only one, type of toothpaste used, although desirable but not significant change occurred with regard to brushing and flossing techniques. It was concluded that dental hygiene demonstrations had limited success in changing the behavior of youth with regard to dental care practices. (HMD)