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YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian College of Health Sciences (TCHS) is pleased to announce that researchers Astghik Atanyan (MPH ’18), M.D.; Diana Muradyan (MPH ’20), Ph.D.; Marine Mkrtchyan (MPH ’19), DDS; Karin Karbouian (MPH ’16), DDS; Shant Torkom Yeretzian (MPH ’22), M.D.; Parinaz Paranjkhoo (MPH ’22), M.D.; Hratchia Lylozian (MPH ’16), M.D.; and Anahit Demirchyan (MPH ’99), M.D. recently published an article in Caries Research. This peer reviewed journal, with an impact factor of 2.7, publishes clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory research on caries, focusing on their prevention.
Titled “The relation between primary schoolchildren’s dental plaque index and their parents’ oral health knowledge in rural Armenia,” the TCHS team’s article reveals the high prevalence of caries and plaque among primary schoolchildren living in the Mrgashat and Sardarapat communities of Armavir region, as well as negative association between children’s plaque index with their parent’s oral health knowledge score, meaning that the higher the parent’s oral health knowledge, the healthier the child’s teeth.
This study was the baseline phase of the AUA Entrepreneurs in Health (EIH) program’s Dental Hygiene project, which was launched in 2022, when EIH supported pediatric dental services in Mrgashat village. The study team conducted a survey among 400 parents of primary schoolchildren of Mrgashat and Sardarapat villages, covering social-demographic characteristics, self-reported oral health, and oral health knowledge of parents, as well as eating and oral health habits of children. After the survey, the study teams visited the local schools, assessing the oral health of primary schoolchildren using two standardized measures: DMFT/dmft score (number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth) and plaque index (average coverage of teeth with plaque).
The mean DMFT/dmft score was 7.28, which was considerably higher than reported in similar socio-economic settings in other countries. The mean plaque index was 3.06, which was either comparable to or lower than those reported in other countries. The parents generally demonstrated relatively good oral health knowledge, with a mean score of 6.9 out of 9. The knowledge items with the least number of correct answers included statements about the benefit of added fluoride in caries-prevention, as well as the benefit of dental flossing. In line with this, only 2% of them reported using floss, and 9.4% reported using fluoride-containing toothpaste. The study also revealed non-satisfactory eating habits and oral health behaviors, which were reflected in corresponding scores, with an average of 4.52 (out of 9) and 3.02 (out of 6), respectively.
The TCHS team’s study emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies to improve children’s oral health, including parental education, behavioral support, caries-preventive efforts, and improved access to dental care.
The aim of EIH is to improve access to quality health services in rural communities of Armenia through the introduction of advanced technologies and innovative approaches supporting healthcare professionals to develop private health practices.
The AUA Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian College of Health Sciences works actively to improve population health and health services in Armenia and the region through interdisciplinary education and development of health professionals to be leaders in public health, nursing, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.