EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF PUPPET SHOW–BASED ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION ON KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 12 YEARS

Background/ Objective: Oral diseases in early childhood are often linked to poor hygiene practices and limited awareness. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a puppet show–based educational intervention in improving oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among pediatric patients.
Methods: A pre-post-follow-up design was implemented with 60 children (aged 5–12) visiting a pediatric OPD in a dental college located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. A structured KAP questionnaire assessed knowledge (10 items), attitudes (5-point Likert scale), and self-reported practices at three intervals: baseline, immediately postintervention, and four-week follow-up. A 30-minute puppet show focused on brushing, diet, and dental visits. Data was analyzed using paired t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA (p < 0.05).
Results: Slight improvements were noted post-intervention: mean knowledge scores rose from 6.18 ± 1.25 to 6.23 ± 1.14; attitude scores increased from 4.06 ± 1.11 to 4.08 ± 1.20; and practice scores from 5.12 ± 1.09 to 5.17 ± 1.04. However, these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.437 for knowledge, p = 0.852 for
attitude, p = 0.462 for practice), indicating limited short-term effect.
Conclusion: The intervention yielded modest, non-significant improvements. Repeated or multi-modal approaches may be necessary to elicit meaningful, lasting behavioral changes in children's oral health.