The Tanzania Oral Health Foundation is a non-governmental organization that deals with the provision of Oral Health Education and Information. For World Oral Health Day 2023, they organized a project called the “Beyond Toothbrush Project” to spread awareness about oral health to 5-11-year-old children.
Oral health awareness
The primary objective of the project was to increase children’s awareness and adoption of healthy oral health behaviours, aiming for a 20% improvement in their oral hygiene knowledge and practices. The project entailed two phases, one focusing on education and the second on evaluation. The education phase involved the use of animations, songs, verbal and demonstrations on how to take care of oral health. In the evaluation phase, students were given a toothbrush and toothpaste from Colgate, and the schools visited were asked to complete a written questionnaire on the oral health material taught during the education phase. This allowed the Tanzania Oral Health Foundation to assess the effectiveness of the program and make any necessary adjustments for future initiatives.
A successful project
The "Beyond Toothbrush Project" was a huge success, with many children demonstrating a better understanding of oral hygiene and taking more proactive steps to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Schoolchildren in Tanzania learning about oral hygiene organized by Tanzania Oral Health Foundation
Photo credit: Tanzania Oral Health Foundation