Effectiveness of web-based application for dental health promotion among elementary school teachers: A randomized controlled trial

Dental caries in elementary school children can be prevented through dental health education and promotion in schools. Teachers play an important role in supporting children’s oral health behaviors. The use of web-based applications as a health promotion medium is expected to improve the effectiveness of dental health education by providing easier access and broader reach. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a web-based application in improving teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dental health promotion among elementary school children. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) employed a pretest–posttest control group design involving 120 primary school teachers in Aceh Province, Indonesia, who were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received education through a web-based application, whereas the control group received conventional education. Teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices were assessed using a validated questionnaire at baseline, one month, and two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests with SPSS version 22.0. The intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and practices than the control group ( P < 0.05), with progressive increases observed from the pretest to both post-intervention assessments. The findings indicate that the web-based application is effective in improving teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dental health promotion in elementary schools.