VCC Dental Hygiene Oral Health Program Methods 2 Lessons on Feb 12th & 26th: Basic Dental Terms and Proper Brushing/Flossing Techniques Britannia Secondary School LALS Class Cavity formation & mindful food choices Presented by 3rd Year Dental Hygiene Students: Mickey Rematore, An Nguyen, and Amanda Barcelos Background Lessons were based on the following: Britannia Secondary School offers a Learning Assistance and Life Skills (LA/LS) program for students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. The LA/LS group is largely composed of males and of Indigenous background. Building trustful relationships Multiple ways of knowing: culturally relevant Indigenous Medicine Wheel showing Diet ↔ physical, emotional, mental, & spiritual health By conducting surveys & meeting with the community leader, we have curated our program to explore opportunities in oral health promotion & knowledge: Promoting mindful eating & nutritious choices None 15.4% Bleeding Gums 15.4% Various modes for increased accessibility: allowing time and space for self-regulation and choice Building consistent oral health habits Experiments, videos, demos, hands-on brushing/ flossing activities in mouth models Enhancing oral health knowledge Cavities 15.4% 50% have experienced oral pain Info in preparation for independence: e.g. frequency of having dental appointments Stain 23.1% 50% have had a cavity 37% use floss once a day 88% consume at least 1-2 sugary snacks or drinks daily Bad Breath 15.4% Pain 15.4% Outcomes Very much Somewhat Neutral Not really Not at all Enjoyed lesson on dental terms Donut graph showing students current concerns or questions regarding their oral health Enjoyed lesson on Brushing & Flossing Program Objectives Promote proper oral hygiene instruction Increase awareness of link between diet to oral & systemic health Equip students with improved oral health literacy Increase awareness of when to visit a dental office when they are independent Ensure holistic approaches for students with intellectual disabilities Provide culturally safe support for the predominantly Indigenous population Enjoyed lesson Nutrition/Cavities Words were easy to understand Improve understanding of oral health Demonstrations helped understanding Number of respondents: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Incomplete data** More Outcomes: Future Directions for Future Programs Cost of care delivered: $25.00 15 toothbrushes, toothpastes, floss bundles, mouth rinses (subsidized by VCC/Dental Hygiene program), laminated lesson summaries with pictures & toothbrush calendars were given Program Efficacy: Students were able to verbalize material learned & participated by answering & asking questions Positive Attitudes: One student said learning to brush & floss was the “best lesson ever!” Maintaining an ongoing partnership with VCC Dental hygiene students to support continued oral health education and programming on an annual basis Make extra time in the lesson plans for: The interaction portion of the lesson For students to get back from the breaks Gauge expectations: Interest in the lesson varies by the student Conclusions Be more flexible; we wouldn’t do much script-based lecture next time Building rapport & relationships with students is a requirement for effective care delivery We have effectively increased awareness of dental health among the students. Students are encouraged to take an active interest in their oral care & improve oral hygiene practices as well as food choices. The primary goal is Health Promotion Introverted hygienists need to get out of their comfort zone! Building rapport is what makes the lessons effective! Find something to connect with the students about; it was often Pokémon or books! The program increased student independence by teaching practical oral hygiene skills Visual aids, flexible lessons, and breaks made the program accessible to all learners The Indigenous Medicine Wheel made the program culturally safe and relevant References 1. Bowen DM, Pieren JA, Darby ML. Darby and Walsh Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice. Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier; 2020. 2. Get Cracking. Egg and soda [Internet]. Egg Farmers of Ontario; 2025 [cited 2025 Feb 5]. Available from: https://tinyurl.com/3hxv6f9c 3. It’s AumSum Time. What causes cavities? [Internet]. YouTube; 2017 [cited 2025 Feb 2]. Available from: https://tinyurl.com/47h5vfcc 4. Jones, C. L., Jensen, J. D., Scherr, C. L., Brown, N. R., Christy, K., & Weaver, J. The health belief model as an explanatory framework in communication research: Exploring Parallel, serial, and moderated mediation. Health communication. 2015 [cited 2025 Jan 15] https://tinyurl.com/3krwt9mv What Works Relationships & connections Pictures, videos, experiments Participation and spontaneity More breaks & flexibility Positive reinforcement Staff participation What Doesn’t Work Lecturing with lots of text Being too focused on details Rigid schedules & scripts Focusing on perfection 5. University of Saskatchewan’s. Research guides: Instructional support: BOPPPS model: Introduction to lesson planning with BOPPPS [Internet]. University of Saskatchewan; 2024 [cited 2025 Jan 15]. Available from: https://libguides.usask.ca/boppps 6. Vancouver School Board. Learning assistance/life skills (LA/LS) [Internet]. Vancouver School Board; 2022 [cited 2025 Feb 25]. Available from: https://tinyurl.com/2y4582hw We extend our gratitude to the LA-LS students who participated in the program and the teachers Nova and Mike, whose engagement and feedback have been invaluable in shaping our findings and recommendations.