Self-efficacy theory-based intervention in adolescents: a cluster randomized trial-focus on oral self-care practice and oral self-care skills.

AIM: The cluster randomized trial tested the efficacy of professional dental education for improving oral self-care skills (OSC-S) and oral self-care practice (OSC-P) in adolescents.

DESIGN: All 15- to 16-year-old adolescents from four public schools were invited and 206 agreed to participate. Schools were randomly allocated to the intervention group and to the control group. Five sessions were given for the intervention group and one for the control group. The OSC-S and OSC-P outcomes were measured as % Oral Cleanliness Scores at the baseline, 6-month, and 12-month observations.

RESULTS: OSC-S and OSC-P correlated significantly (Pearson's) at the baseline (r = 0.777, P < 0.001), at the 6-month (r = 0.745, P < 0.001), and at the 12-month (r = 0.780, P < 0.001) examinations. After the guided oral healthcare interventions, a significant time × group effect was observed (repeated-measures anova, P < 0.001 for the OSC-S (multivariate η(2) = 0.355) and for the OSC-P (multivariate η(2) = 0.325).

CONCLUSION: (i) Oral self-care skills and oral self-care practice scores were significantly correlated, (ii) self-efficacy theory-guided intervention was superior to the conventional dental instruction to improve oral self-care in adolescents, and (iii) varying levels of oral self-care improvement were observed among the intervention group adolescents.