Abstract:

Introduction:

Educators should be involved in children oral health education due to the fact that the children spend a significant amount of time with them in the kindergarten, where they could be taught good health habits. They could emphasize and consolidate knowledge about the significance of sugary snacks and drinks, the benefits of a healthy diet, good oral hygiene habits and dental visits.

Material and methods:

49 people took part in the study – 24 educators and 25 support staff in kindergartens. Didactic trainings were organized for them in the course of three weeks.

Aim:

The aim of the study was to establish the changes in the knowledge and skills of kindergarten pedagogical and support staff about oral hygiene procedures and dietary habits in the course of the dental health promotion program for preschool children.

Results and discussion:

As a result of the trainings for kindergarten educators and staff who took part in the experiment, as part of the oral health promotion program for preschool children, significant improvement of own knowledge and changes in oral hygiene habits and healthy eating habits were observed.

Conclusion:

By positively influencing kindergarten educators’ own oral hygiene and diet, significant improvement of these oral health factors is expected for the children under their care, as well. The positive change is also significant due to the fact that the pedagogical staff is an integral part of the people implementing the oral health promotion program.