June 2019

Volume 36, Issue 2

In-school toothbrushing programs in Aboriginal communities in New South Wales, Australia: A thematic analysis of teachers’ perspectives

Authors: Yvonne Dimitropoulos Alexander Holden Woosung Sohn
doi: 10.1922/CDH_4443Dimitropoulos05

Abstract

Objective: This qualitative analysis explores how school staff interacted with a daily in-school toothbrushing program in three schools in rural areas in Central Northern New South Wales, Australia, with a high population of enrolled Aboriginal students. Research design: Three focus groups were conducted in the schools. Participants included school teachers and one Aboriginal Oral Health Aide who manage the daily program. Focus groups were conducted, and where permitted, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. This study was granted ethics approval by the New South Wales Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (App 1281/17). Results: Four themes were identifi ed: 1) Belief of Program Need and Benefi t; 2) Forming routine; 3) Children’s responses and 4) Sustainability. School staff embraced the program and valued the need for and benefi t of the program for children in their school, seeing it as part of the extended role of the school to promote students’ health and well-being. Two important enablers for the program’s sustainability emerged; promoting and supporting local school leadership and training existing school staff or local Aboriginal people to manage it. Conclusion: Training local Aboriginal people or existing school staff to implement a daily in-school toothbrushing program and facilitating school leadership is an important enabler for sustainable oral health promotion, including in-school toothbrushing programs, in Aboriginal communities. Key words: Toothbrushing; schools; communities

Download

Other articles in this issue

Article Pages Access
Editorial - How soon is soon enough? The challenge of implementing behaviours conducive to good oral health in at-risk infants and toddlers 89-90 Download
Dental Public Health in Action - Patient and professional engagement in the procurement of dental services 91-94 Download
A qualitative study on the oral health of humanitarian migrants in Canada 95-100 Download
What influences use of dental services by the Korean disabled people? The role of perceived barriers in dental care system 101-105 Download
In-school toothbrushing programs in Aboriginal communities in New South Wales, Australia: A thematic analysis of teachers’ perspectives 106-110 Download
Relationship between Caregivers’ Oral Health Literacy and their Child’s Caries Experience 111-117 Download
What evidence do economic evaluations in dental care provide? A scoping review 118-125 Download
The Effectiveness of Reform in the Dental Health Systems of Transitional Countries: The Case of Montenegro Health Reform (pilot study) 126-130 Download
Costs of dental care and its financial impacts on patients in a population with low availability of services 131-136 Download
Identifying the barriers and facilitators for homeless people to achieve good oral health 137-142 Download
Comparison of two measures to determine the oral health-related quality of life in elders with periodontal disease 143-149 Download
Transnational corporations and oral health inequalities; an introduction 151-151 Download
Political economy, trade relations and health inequalities: lessons from general health 152-156 Download
Transnational corporations and oral health: examples from the sugar industry 157-162 Download
The Transnational Tobacco Industry and Oral Health 163-168 Download
Transnational corporations, oral health and human agency: a sociological perspective 169-174 Download

Subscribe

Online (Single user only)
£150
Institution Online (IP address validation)
£250

Back issues may be obtained from the publisher

Consider recommending subscription to your institution's library

You can view Open Access papers without a subscription.