DENTAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AS A PREDICTOR OF ORAL HEALTH MAINTENANCE BEHAVIOR AMONG SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN INDONESIA

Abstract

Objective: Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent oral health problems among school-aged children worldwide and is strongly influenced by daily oral hygiene practices. Adequate oral health knowledge is considered an important factor in promoting positive dental care behaviors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between dental health knowledge and dental care behavior among school-aged children aged 10–12 years in Subang Regency, Indonesia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted involving 91 elementary school students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a validated and reliable questionnaire measuring dental health knowledge and oral health maintenance behavior. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics, while the Spearman Rank correlation test was applied to determine the relationship between the study variables. Result: The results showed that most participants had good dental health knowledge (51.6%) and good dental care behavior (83.5%). The mean knowledge score was 14.71 ± 3.26, while the mean behavior score was 49.29 ± 11.28. Statistical analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation between dental health knowledge and dental care behavior (r = 0.790, p < 0.001). Consclussion: These findings indicate that higher levels of dental health knowledge are associated with better oral health maintenance practices among school-aged children. Strengthening school-based oral health education programs may contribute to improving preventive oral health behaviors and reducing the burden of dental diseases in children.