OPTIMIZING WHATSAPP AS A COUNSELING MEDIA: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VIDEO AND E-BOOKLET ON DENTAL CARIES KNOWLEDGE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN (A Study On Pregnant Women At Kamal Public Health Center, Bangkalan Regency)

Dental caries is one of the most common oral health problems experienced by pregnant women. The low level of knowledge regarding risk factors and the impact of dental caries during pregnancy contributes significantly to the high prevalence of this condition. Hormonal changes during pregnancy also tend to cause women to neglect their oral and dental hygiene. A promotive approach is considered an effective solution to address this issue, particularly through dental health education delivered using digital media such as videos and e-booklets distributed via WhatsApp groups. This method is expected to improve pregnant women’s knowledge and ultimately enhance their overall health status. The problem underlying this study is the high average DMF-T score among pregnant women at Kamal Public Health Center, Bangkalan, which reached 4.7—contradicting the national target of caries-free 2030. The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of health education using video and e-booklet media via WhatsApp groups on dental caries knowledge among pregnant women at Kamal Public Health Center, Bangkalan. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a two-group pre-test post-test approach. The study population consisted of 64 pregnant women visiting Kamal Public Health Center between December 2024 and January 2025. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, while data analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The results showed that health education delivered via WhatsApp groups using video media was more effective compared to e-booklet media. This was evidenced by a significantly greater increase in dental caries knowledge among pregnant women in the video intervention group.