PARTICIPATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN RUNGWE DISTRICT, TANZANIA

Abstract

Background: Tanzanian primary school teachers havt- long been utilised as oral health
educators but little is known about their level of partici pation.
Objectives: To asses the participation of primary school teachers as general and oral health
educators.
Design: Cross-sectional, using structured self-administered questionnaires.
Sening: Rural and urban Primary Schools in Rungwe 1:listrict , Mbeya Tanzania.
Participants: Primary school teachers from 15 rural anc 4 urban schools.
Main outcome variables: Provision of oral health educat Ion.
Results: Teachers with primary education, who are teachir ~g in lower grades were significantly
more active in providing general and oral health educatio R (OHE) than those with secondary
education and who teach pupils in higher grades.
Conclusion: Oral health education seems to be given main ly to primary school pupils in lower
grades; teachers involved in oral health education provi: ion were mainly female juniors in
the profession and relatively young by age (below 40 years old).
Recommendation: There is a need for influencing teachtm of pupils in higher grades and
males to be involved in oral health education programmes throughout their teaching
profession.