Promotion of oral health in schoolchildren in the framework of a comprehensive collective intervention, conducted in the period 2013-2015, in Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

Oral health is a public health challenge that must be addressedby integrating its social and biological dimensions to adopt a dental practicewith a sense of integrality that takes into account the needs and potentialitiesof each person and context. The objective of this study was to analyze the oralhealth status of schoolchildren in a socio-environmentally vulnerable urban areaof the city of Córdoba, Argentina, within the framework of a comprehensivecollective intervention, conducted in the period 2013-2015 at the María delTránsito Cabanillas school.Material and Methods: The intervention was organized in 3 stages: diagnosis,collective design and implementation of oral health promotion strategies, andevaluation, applying qualitative and quantitative logics appropriate to theobject of study. Diagnosis was carried out in 2013, performing a clinical-dentalexamination of schoolchildren aged 6 to 8 years and a participatory study of theschool environment.Results: Based on the diagnostic data, the stage of collective design andimplementation of promotion strategies and oral health care was carried out.The evaluation of the intervention was performed through the clinical-dentalexamination of schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 years who attended the school in2015, and who, also having attended the same institution in 2013, participatedin the diagnostic study and analysis of the qualitative records related to theintervention. Healthy clinical trends and positive assessments by the differentactors were observed.Conclusion: The results encourage continuing conducting comprehensiveintervention strategies for oral health promotion and care.

A partir de los datos diagnósticos se realizó la etapa de Diseño colectivo e implementación de estrategias de promoción y atención de salud bucal. La evaluación de la intervención se realizó a través del examen clínico-odontológico a los escolares de 10 a 12 años asistentes a la institución escolar en el año 2015, que habiendo asistido en el año 2013 a la misma institución participaron del estudio diagnóstico y del análisis de los registros cualitativos relativos a la intervención desarrollada. Se observaron tendencias clínicas saludables y valoraciones positivas por parte de los diferentes actores. Conclusion: Los resultados estimulan a continuar desarrollando estrategias de intervención integrales de promoción y atención de salud bucal.