Effect of a Nursing Student-led Oral Health Education Program on Dental Health Knowledge among Schoolchildren: A Quasi-experimental Pre–Poststudy

Background: Poor oral health among schoolchildren remains a significant public health concern, particularly in low-resource settings where awareness and preventive practices are often inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing student (NS)-led oral health education intervention in improving dental health knowledge among 10–15-year-old schoolchildren. Methodology: A quasi-experimental pre–posteducational intervention study without a control group was conducted among 100 schoolchildren aged 10–15 years. A validated and pretested questionnaire comprising 17 multiple-choice items assessing dental health knowledge was administered before and 2 weeks after a structured oral health education program delivered through four sessions by trained undergraduate NSs. Changes in knowledge scores were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test in SPSS version 30.0. Results: Baseline knowledge was lower in domains such as dental caries, plaque, fluoride use, and brushing duration, while selected items showed satisfactory responses. Following the intervention, substantial improvements were observed across multiple knowledge domains. The mean knowledge score increased from 7.42 ± 2.31 at baseline to 12.68 ± 1.94 postintervention, with a mean difference of 5.26 (95% confidence interval: 4.88–5.64), demonstrating a statistically significant improvement ( Z = −3.18, P = 0.001). Conclusion: A structured oral health education intervention delivered by trained NSs significantly improved dental health knowledge among schoolchildren.