oral health community workshop - napprnappr.org/files/dental-resource-guide/hpdp/community … ·...

Oral Health Community WorkshopTips and Tools for Planning a Community Event

M. Catherine Hollister, RDH, MSPH, PhDDental Support CenterUnited South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.

Oral Health Community Workshop i

Table of ContentsPurpose..................................................................................................................1

Planning.................................................................................................................2

Agenda...................................................................................................................3

Assessment...........................................................................................................3

Oral Health Screening..................................................................................5

Oral Health Interviews..................................................................................7

Pretest..........................................................................................................8

Teaching Session..................................................................................................10

Action Plan.............................................................................................................12

Activities.................................................................................................................13

Evaluation..............................................................................................................15

Participant Evaluation Form..........................................................................16

Workshop Evaluation....................................................................................17

Quantitative Evaluation.................................................................................18

Qualitative Evaluation...................................................................................19

Next Steps..............................................................................................................20

Planning Forms.....................................................................................................21

Oral Health Community Workshop ii

Oral Health Community Workshop iii

Oral Health Community WorkshopTips and Tools for Planning a Community Event

Purpose

The overall goal of this guide is to assist oral health professionals and other health and human service experts improve the oral health of young children by convening oral health education workshops targeted to parents, grandparents, children, Board members, or other community stakeholders. The purpose of the community workshop is to improve knowledge and assist community members identify and adopt actions that affect oral health. Community workshops can be used to support the IHS Early Childhood Caries Initiative to improve the oral health of infants and children.

Why Conduct a Workshop?

Educate the community Promote healthy oral health

behaviors Encourage healthy lifestyle

changes Learn from each other Have fun All of the Above

Advantages of a Workshop

Tailor the education message to the audience

Make the message personal Participants decide on an Action Plan Fun activities encourage participation

1

How to Use the Toolkit

This packet describes all of the components of the toolkit. The packet discusses each major portion recommended for a community event and lists some options for each section. Be careful to select an element for each part of the event. In planning the event, you will need to decide how you will:

Assess the participants,

Provide Education,

Encourage each participant to write a personal Action Plan,

Enjoy an activity to reinforce your education,

Evaluate the impact on each participant,

Evaluate your workshop.

Planning

Your first task will be to plan the event. Time allotted, location, target audience, staff, and resources available will all influence how you conduct the workshop and the activities included. Critical elements to consider:

What is the purpose of the workshop (e.g., improve oral health knowledge and behaviors, fluoridate community water supplies, increase access to oral health care)?

Who is your target audience (e.g., pregnant women, parents or grandparents, children, Board members, other community members)?

When is the best time to hold the workshop (e.g., season, day of the week, time of day, and amount of time)?

Where the event should be held (school, community setting, preschool, day care, Tribal offices, or meeting room)?

What resources are needed to plan and support the event (e.g., staffing, funds, space, and equipment)?

What data are needed to support, conduct, and evaluate the workshop? (e.g., what data are needed, are they currently available, what will be collected, what will be used for comparison, how will data entry and analysis be done)?

Oral Health Community Workshop 2

Agenda

The basic workshop should include 5 parts:

Assessment Education/information Action plans Activity Evaluation

o participant’s evaluation: assess individual impact o workshop evaluation: determine what you will retain or change

Look at the table on the following page. You will see each element across the top with choices for each below. You can mix and match, just make sure you have something from each column.

You have choices for each of these that are dependent on your workshop goal and target audience. It is important make sure all of these basic parts are included when planning the event. The following chart provides examples of what could be included in planning an agenda for the workshop.

Assessment

Assessment is needed to personalize your workshop. If the people attending know their oral health needs or knowledge, the entire session will make more sense. If your participants understand, “what’s in it for me”, they will be more likely to pay attention, remember, and act on the information to compare oral health screenings to pre/post tests. Table 1 lists some considerations for selecting one of the assessment methods.

Common methods of assessment are screening, pretest, or interviews. Screening show people’s oral health needs; pretest show people’s knowledge; interviews assess perceptions.


Table 1: Oral Health Screening or Pre/Post Test

Oral Health Screening Pretest/Post-test Oral Health Interview

Staff Needed

Dentist or dental hygienist

Any health staff Dental Staff

Resources Needed

screening forms disposable mouth

mirrors appropriate lighting

gloves, masks adequate screening

space table and chairs biohazard disposal

equipment and supplies fluoride varnish (optional)

clinical protocols and guidelines

Pretest forms pens/pencils adequate furniture meeting space

Interview forms

Target Audience

Community members, school children, preschool children, children and families enrolled in Head Start

Community members (e.g., pregnant women, parents and grandparents), school children

Any

Location Health Fair, school, other community event

Health Fair, school, community event

Any

Benefits Individualized oral health information, referrals for untreated dental disease, individualized case management

Assess dental knowledge, quick, few resources needed

Assess knowledge, personal practices, concerns, can be used for persons with low literacy skills

Limitations Adequate time, facilities, and equipment needed, consent needed for children, screener training and calibration

Only assesses knowledge, limited use for poor readers and those with low health literacy skills.

Will not assess oral health status


Starting with an assessment will add personal meaning for your audience. They will understand, “Why this matters to me”. Rather than presenting “generic” information, by starting with an assessment, your participants will understand what the information means to them individually, and how using the information can improve oral health for themselves or their families.

Depending on the location of the workshop, and other events that may be held at the same time, assessment may be conducted via an individual oral health screening or a pretest.

Oral Health Screening

Use screening if:

Dental personnel are available You have adequate time and space Other screening and/or clinical services are being offered Other agencies or clinics are conducting screening (such as IHS or the

State)

Benefits of Screening:

Each individual receives a report on his/her oral health status. This may increase the overall effectiveness of your workshop because it will make the information VERY PERSONAL to your participants

Individuals with unmet dental needs are identified. This allows the clinic or Tribal personnel to provide case management services to ensure that needed oral health care is received.

Preventive services such as fluoride varnish or individualized oral hygiene education can be delivered.

Oral health status for your community can be determined allowing trends to be watched over time. This information can be used to compare to regional or national data.

Limitations of Screening:

Consent is required. For visual only screening, passive consent (parents are informed of the event and asked to notify staff if the DO NOT want their child to participate) is considered the acceptable Standard of Care. Some facilities or Tribes may require active consent for all screenings. Active consent is always needed whenever clinical services such as fluoride varnish are provided.


Requires more time than group assessment through a pretest. Dental staff is needed. Participants must be informed that the screening does not replace regular,

professional dental care.

Screening Forms and Data Collection.

Sample data collection forms are included in this Toolkit. Each program must decide on what data will be collected, recorded, and analyzed. This should be based on the program goal and target audience. All of the sample data forms conform to the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors’ Basic Screening Survey instructions and the most recent Indian Health Service basic screening. Using these sample forms will ensure comparability to most State and IHS surveys. Before beginning the screening, planners must decide on the level of detail needed in the survey, how often the survey will be repeated, and any indicators that will be added to the basic forms. To ensure reliable data, it is best to calibrate all screeners to explicitly follow survey guidelines and definitions.

Basic Screening Indicators:

Untreated Decay Caries Experience Presence of dental sealants Treatment needs

Optional Indicators:

Number of decayed, missing, or filled primary or permanent teeth Professional dental visit in the last year Toothache in the last 6 months Tobacco use in the home Dentate status (adults only) Fluorosis

See http://www.astdd.org/docs/BSSChildren%27sManual20081revised2.9.2010.pdf

for additional indicators and definitions of each.

The Toolkit contains additional information including sample consent forms and screening forms.

Oral Health Interviews


http://www.astdd.org/docs/BSSChildren'sManual20081revised2.9.2010.pdf

Interviews are a good choice if you have enough time to see each participant individually, but you can’t or don’t want to do clinical screenings. The most important things you will learn during interviews are each person’s perceptions about their oral health and resources that are available to them. You may want to list some specific interview questions that you will ask each person. You should also ask some open ended questions or follow up on a topic or issue identified by your participant.

Sample questions:

Do you have any problems with your teeth?

If you need to see a dentist, where would you go? (This may indicate if a person has a dental home, and if they are a regular or episodic user of the dental care system)

What kind of toothbrush (or toothpaste) do you use? (This may lead to a discussion about home care products)

Have you seen a dentist in the last year?

Have you had a toothache in the last 6 months?


Pretest

Pretests are also a useful assessment tool. This is an excellent option in circumstances where conducting a screening is not possible. If participants have already been screened, a pretest can be an additional assessment tool to determine knowledge.

Even a very basic pretest such as the one included in the packet can be an eye-opener for participants. You may choose to not collect the pretests and just use them to generate a discussion to educate and debunk misconceptions about oral health.

If the pretest in the packet is used, DO NOT distribute the answer sheets at the same time as the pretests. You can distribute the answer sheets during or after your teaching section as a means of reinforcing the information. Answer sheets also make a nice handout for participants to take home. Other pretests may be used in place of the test included in the packet. When developing pretests, planners should consider local issues that are important to the community and include questions on those topics.

You can use the sample pretest included in this Toolkit or design your own. Distribute the pretest as soon as participants enter the workshop. They may begin immediately or as soon as instructed. Allow at least 10 minutes for the participants to complete the pretest. If you want to test knowledge change, you can use the same test at the end of the event as a post-test.


Now that you have decided on a target audience and assessment method, you can select the best teaching method, action plan, activity and evaluation method. As a part of you planning session, fill in a table (See Planning Form #2) that names the major steps of your workshop and the selections for each step.

Example: Your event will target elderly women. You plan a luncheon and expect the event to last 45-60 minutes. Many women in this group do not want their teeth examined when they eat. How will you choose appropriate activities for this event?

Assessment: Individual oral health interviews. Interview space should be private. Interviewer should have information available such as how to make

a dental appointment or other needed referrals, and personalized educational pamphlets. Remember, each participant must be

interviewed and your education will be a part of the group event, so don’t spend too much time on individual patient education.

Education: Discuss sensitivity, dry mouth, and home care products for these conditions. Discuss other issues that emerged during interviews.

Action Plan: Each participant will decide on this. Some of your participants may want to simply state their plan and not write it down. An alternative to writing individual plans is a group discussion of possible actions. Example: Keep a water bottle available and take frequent sips.

Activity: Bingo

Evaluation: Intent: When will you start your action plan?


Teaching Session

Once the assessment has been completed and your audience is interested, you are ready to present information. Slide presentations, fact sheets, oral hygiene guides, and educational brochures are included in this Toolkit. You can use of these or other educational materials that you like. During your presentation cover important information identified during the event’s assessment. Place special emphasis on the topics that are most important to your audience based on questions, comments during the screening or pretest, or questions commonly asked of your staff.

Consider the available time and resources before you plan your information section. If you plan to make a slide presentation, make sure you have a computer, projector and a screen. Check to make sure you have everything you need including extension cords and computer cables. Set up and test your computer and projector before the session begins.

Leave time for questions and answers. If you have done a good job matching your information to your audience’s interest, you should have some questions.

Be specific! Your teaching may not be effective if you try to cover too many topics. Focus on a few key informational items and reinforce those. Covering too much information may result in poor retention in your audience. Limit your speaking time to no more than 15-20 minutes. With questions and discussion, your entire teaching section should not be more than 30 minutes.

Several Power Point presentations, fact sheets, and pamphlets are included in this Toolkit. Review all of the information resources included and select the most relevant for your situation. You may also find education resources on the IHS and other oral health websites.


• American Dental Association: http://www.ada.org/387.aspx#presentations

• American Dental Hygienists Association: http://www.adha.org

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/

• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/EducationalResources/

• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center: http://www.mchoralhealth.org

• Head Start: http://www.bmcc.edu/Headstart/Dental/index.html


Consider different presentation styles for your education. You could choose a lecture format. Other choices are to show a video, have a demonstration, or even

lead an informal group discussion.

http://www.ada.org/387.aspx#presentations

Action Plan

Ask participants to identify at least one action they can take in the next week to improve their oral health. The action plans must be very specific and should be able to be accomplished in the very near future. An Action Plan form is included in the Toolkit.

Audience Possible Action Plans

Parents/Grandparents 1. Clean baby’s mouth daily2. Stop night time bottles or use water only3. Make an appointment for a dental exam4. No soda or juice in a bottle or sippy cup; take water only5. Purchase less soda for the family

Head Start/Preschool/Day Care Staff

1. Have children brush daily2. Include dental topics in lesson plans3. Include dental topics in at least 1 parent meeting4. Do not bring personal sweet drinks into the building

Elementary School Children

1. Brush every day2. Drink at least 1 glass of water every day

Middle and High School Children

1. Brush and floss every day2. Learn the school’s policies on food sales at school3. Eat 5 servings of fruits or vegetables every day for the

next week

These are just some examples of possible action plans. Note that they are all very specific and can be done immediately. Individuals may choose to write more than 1 action plan, but stress the importance of working on at least 1 action item.

Some plans may need time to develop. For example, Head Start staff may want children to brush daily, but they must address infection control issues before starting. In that case, ask participants to estimate when the plan might start.

Key to Success

Remember this is NOT YOUR action plan.Your participants must take ownership of the action plan.

That means THEY must decide when and how to activate the plan.


Activities

Activities should not be used without the completing the first 3 sections (i.e., assessment, teaching session, and action plans). Activities should be used to reinforce the previous sections.

The activity section of the workshop is intended to reinforce the information presented and should not introduce new material. Review your activity plan and materials to make sure your audience has the opportunity to think about the key points in new ways. This can be done by playing word games, role playing, or combining questions with a physical activity such as a bean bag toss or basketball free throw. Watching videos is a good teaching tool but is would not be appropriate as an activity because it is passive and does not test what the participants learned during the education/information section.

Interactive games such as the Jeopardy and Bingo in this packet are educational activities that are fun and engaging. You may have other activities that have worked well in the past and can be adapted for a workshop. Just make sure that any activity you use includes the critical information you want the participants to retain and requires participants to actively use the information.

You should have some prizes to award if you are using any kind of game. Usually any small prizes are appreciated. You don’t have to purchase elaborate prizes.

Jeopardy

This is included in the Toolkit. Based on the TV game show Jeopardy, participants provide the question to an oral health answer in specified categories. To play the game, you will need a computer, projector and screen, moderator, and a scorekeeper. Splitting the audience into teams adds some competition to the game which is often more engaging. A bell or buzzer can be used for each team or individual to ring in with their answer. Otherwise, the moderator and scorekeeper can watch to see which team raises a hand first.

Bingo

A Bingo games based on Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is included in the Toolkit. This is a good game if you do not have a computer and projector. Each person receives a bingo card and set of small items to use as markers (e.g., pennies, beans, or other small items). Encourage the participants to use handouts or other educational materials you distributed during the presentation. This will reinforce the value of the information and allow people to become familiar with locating facts. Inform the participants that each


card contains every answer, so a square on each board should be covered for each clue.

Activity Sheets

The American Dental Association has several puzzles, coloring pages, and other activity sheets that are suitable for preschool and elementary school children. ADA allows these to be used for community activities as long as the ADA logo and credits are retained and they are used as intended. These are included in the Toolkit. Make sure to review the rules for using ADA materials.

Other Possible Activities (Not included in the Toolkit)

Beanbag Toss

This is a good activity for elementary school children. It may be used at a school health fair or some community event. Ask the child 5 questions about oral health (You may want to use some of the questions on the Jeopardy game). For each correct answer the child earns 1 beanbag. The child then uses the beanbags to try to hit a target. Prizes are awarded for each bag that hits the target.

Basketball Free Throw

Basketball free throw follows the same rules as the Beanbag Toss. Each correct answer earns a free throw and prizes are awarded for each throw that makes it through the hoop.


Evaluation

Participant Evaluation

This is a very important step for you as an organizer and for your participants. In the evaluation, the participants will inform the organizers what did and did not help them understand the material or decide to make a lifestyle change. They will also evaluate their own action plans and reflect on the ability to start the plan.

Each participant should complete an evaluation form that includes questions about the workshop. If you are using a pre-test and post test, you can use the score change as a part of your workshop evaluation. If you are asking participants to estimate when they will start their action plans, use those intentions in your evaluation.

A sample evaluation form is included in the “Forms” Toolkit folder.


Workshop Evaluation

A participant Evaluation Form is included in the Toolkit. Encourage all participants to complete the evaluation form. This information will help you as you evaluate the entire event. The information you gather from these forms will help you as you do your overall event evaluation.

Every community event should be evaluated. Evaluation will help planners decide which activities to continue and how to improve those activities. Evaluations may be formative (examine the process of the project) or summative (examine the outcome or results of the project). You may choose to use a combination of process and outcome evaluations. Evaluation can happen at any time in development, during the event, or at the end of the program. At a minimum, a formal evaluation should be planned before the event starts and conducted at the end of the event.

Formative (Process) Evaluation

Process evaluation can be useful to find out how or why something happened and typically examines how the project operates. The goal is to find out what works well and what does not. This type of evaluation can be quantitative or qualitative and takes place during the planning and implementation stages of the event. It can also identify strengths and weaknesses in a project. The information gained through process evaluation can be used to increase participation, improve the quality of the materials or activities, and be more responsive to your audience. For new projects, formative evaluation may be the primary type used because outcomes may not happen immediately. Many community events have a close out (sometimes called debriefing) for all staff either at the end of the day or very soon after the event. A close out allows all staff to comment on the event, report observations (either good or bad), and suggest improvements.

Possible Process Evaluation:

Quantitative

1. Cost of the event (Did you stay on budget throughout the planning process?)2. Planning schedule matches accomplishments

Qualitative

1. Was there adequate time for each section of the workshop?2. Did everyone write an action plan?


3. Were questions asked during the information section?4. Were you able to complete your assessment in the time allowed? If not, why

not?5. Did you have all of the supplies you needed?6. Did the workshop fit in with other activities in the event?7. Did the assessment section identify important topics to cover in the

education/information section?8. What comments did participants have?

Summative (Outcome) Evaluation

Summative or outcome evaluation usually measures what happened and will help you decide if this activity will help to meet workshop’s goal. Changes may not be evident in the first years of a new project, but if several after years of conducting similar projects you are no closer to meeting your goal, you should reconsider your strategies. However, there are some things you can measure immediately to see if your workshop has had a positive impact. Outcome evaluation may also be qualitative or quantitative.

Quantitative.

Short Term Outcome Evaluation

1. Findings from participant evaluations2. Number of participants3. Knowledge: Use a post-test to measure increased knowledge4. Intent: Ask participants to estimate when and how they will adopt their action

plan. This should be written on a separate sheet of paper and handed in anonymously. Participants will be more likely to give an honest opinion they do not have to identify themselves. Some responses might include:

a. Definitely plan to start this weekb. May need some time. I intend to start in the next monthc. This will take some planning. I intend to start within 6 monthsd. Probably not. This is a good idea and I want to make the change, but I

can’t do it now.

Long Term Outcome Evaluation

1. Community knowledge.


a. Record each year’s pre-test scores. Compare the most recent test scores to previous years’ scores each year to see if and where the community’s knowledge is improving.

2. Oral health status: a. If you conduct oral health screenings, measure and record untreated

decay and treatment urgency. These data can be compared from year to year to identify outcomes and trends.

b. Over time your goal is to see a reduction in caries experience and the need for urgent care.

3. Other community changesa. As you plan the event each year, notice if any changes within the

community have occurred that affect oral health. This may include policy and procedure changes at schools or clinics, issues with water fluoridation, or changes in the delivery and financing of oral health care.

Qualitative.

Observations: This is frequently overlooked as an evaluation tool but it can provide some VERY useful information. If this is a planned evaluation technique, make a list of critical observations and name individuals responsible for documenting the observations.

Possible Observations to Document:

Were there any obvious points of congestion or flow issues during the event?

Did the participants seem engaged, ask questions, or add comments? Was the space for the workshop adequate? (Room, seating, heat/air

conditioning, lighting, etc. Document specific problems) Did the participants seem uncomfortable with any portion of the workshop

(information content, screening procedures, or order of events)? Did the participants seem enthusiastic about any portion of the event?

Focus Groups: In-depth interviews of a small group of patients, providers, or community members can provide valuable information that might not be captured in surveys or other outcome tools. Open-ended questions about oral health conditions, clinical services, or the community environment can help organizers shape the event to address specific needs and expectations.


Note: Focus groups can be challenging to conduct and are time consuming. Consult with an expert before convening a focus group to make sure issues such as informed consent, moderator techniques, documentation, and data analysis are covered.

Key Informant Interviews: These will be easier to conduct than a full focus group. A Key Informant is a person with knowledge, background or special skills in the area of interest. Key informants may be community members, providers, health board members, other health clinic staff, or any stakeholder. This purpose of this interview is the same as a focus group. The limitation with this type of evaluation is that key informants may have a different perspective of needs and possible solutions to health problems than the community at large. Questions for the interview should be determined before starting. However, even in an interview with pre-determined questions, the interviewer should ask some open ended questions or allow the interviewee time to add additional comments.

Next Steps

Now it is time to put all of the pieces together and PLAN this EVENT!

Assemble your team, consider the event and target audience

Decide on you PRIMARY goal and message (Planning Form #1)

Decide how you will do each step (Planning Form #2: Workshop Content)

o Assessmento Teaching Sessiono Action Plano Activityo Evaluation

Plan your activities and list all supplies you will need (Planning Form #3) Decide on your Evaluation Strategies and make sure you have all supplies

needed, questions identified, and data you will collect (Planning Form #4)


Planning Form #1: Goal, Target Audience, and Message

Primary Goal for the Event (Example: Reduce ECC in children)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Target Audience:

o Pregnant Womeno Preschool childreno Elementary School Childreno High School studentso Adults (community)o Working adults (workplace event)o Elderso Other ________________________________

Primary Educational Message:

o How to clean teetho How diet affects dental carieso Benefits of professional dental care (fluoride, sealants, routine care)o How to recognize and treat gum diseaseo How dental disease affects general health (e.g., diabetes, pregnancy)o Other ____________________________________

Primary Desired Lifestyle Change

o More frequent and efficient oral hygieneo Reduced consumption of sweet drinks and snackso Increased utilization of professional dental serviceso Other _________________________________


Planning Form #2: Workshop Content

Consider how you will complete each step of the Workshop.

Assessment Method

Teaching Session

Action Plan Activity Evaluation

Check all of the resources you will need for the event:

o Pretests (if using)o Screening supplies (if screenings are planned), list supplies belowo Computer and screeno Extension cordo Tables and chairso Paper, pens, pencilso Teaching Session materials (list below)o Game components (list below)o Evaluation Formso Other (specify)


Planning Form #3: Activities

List your activity that will support your education message.

List all of the supplies needed for this activity.


Planning Form #4: Evaluation

Process Eval: Check at least 2-3 evaluation indicators

Quantitative

o Cost of the evento Findings from participant evaluations

Qualitative

o Was there adequate time for each section of the workshop?o Did everyone write an action plan?o Were questions asked during the information section?o Were you able to complete your assessment in the time allowed? If not, why not?o Did you have all of the supplies you needed?o Did the workshop fit in with other activities in the event?o Did the assessment section identify important topics to cover in the

education/information section?o What comments did participants have?

Outcome Eval: Check at least 1-2 evaluation methods

Quantitative

o Number of workshop participantso Costo Participant’s intentions to activate action planso Participant’s satisfaction with Workshopo Comparison between pre- and post-test scoreso Community knowledge o Health Statuso Community Changes

Qualitative

o Observationso Focus Groupso Key Informant Interviews

For any of these, what specifically will you observe or ask?

Create an evaluation form that includes all of your checked items. Describe how you will collect the data. Example: Number of participants can be collected from sign in sheets.


oral health community workshop - napprnappr.org/files/dental-resource-guide/hpdp/community … ·...

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