Knowledge of the health personnel involved in the fluoride varnish therapy programs of primary schools in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) places great importance on oral health promotion programs in schools, given that approximately one billion people worldwide are students. This demographic not only includes the students themselves, but also extends to school staff, their families, and the broader community, all of whom are interconnected. The objectives of this study were firstly to assess the knowledge of health personnel conducting fluoride varnish treatment (FVT) in schools, and secondly to solicit their views on the effectiveness of their training methods. Methods Data was collected from health personnel involved in FVT in schools, supervised by medical universities in Tehran province, using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: demographic information, methods of receiving FVT training, respondents’ knowledge regarding FVT, and opinions about the effectiveness of FVT training methods. The questionnaire was distributed via social media, phone conversations, and email. The collected data was analyzed using Mann-Whitney in SPSS Version 26. A regression model was also fitted to the data. Results The present study included 403 participants. Among various educational methods, it was found that participation in previous workshops (P = 0.001) and FVT workshops (P = 0.013) was significantly correlated with a higher FVT knowledge score. Additionally, participation in previous oral health promotion programs was significantly associated with a higher knowledge score (P < 0.05). Therefore, a history of participating in previous health promotion programs significantly contributed to the participants’ knowledge. Conclusion Participation in previous oral health programs was found to be significantly correlated with a higher knowledge score. The effectiveness of training programs can be attributed to participation in previous workshops and FVT workshops. This study provided insights into potential strategies for enhancing personnel training in national oral health programs.