Purpose: This study explored the impact of an oral health care training program on caregivers’ knowledge of the oral-systemic link and confidence in the provision of oral health care for individuals with DD.
Methods: This study used a mixed-methods design with a convenience sample comprised of 11 (N=11) licensed caregivers of developmental disabled employed by Mission Vista in Wenatchee, Washington. A one-group pre-test/post-test design measured the impact of an oral health curriculum on licensed caregivers’ oral hygiene knowledge and confidence in the provision of care to individuals with disabilities. Quantitative measures included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics to describe demographic data and to analyze pre-test and post-test data. Qualitative data was collected to assess caregivers concerns of their client’s oral health and assess knowledge of how to report oral health concerns. Qualitative data was also collected and assessed on how the training changed their own oral health habits.
Results: Results showed a significant improvement in post-test scores compared to pre-test scores measuring confidence, (p =.025). Ninety percent of participants, (n=10) indicated they would take a more active role in providing oral health care to their client and they were very confident in evaluating their client’s oral health.
Conclusion: An educational intervention program is an effective strategy for caregivers of individuals with DD to increase knowledge on the oral-systemic-link while also increasing confidence in providing oral health care. Thus, demonstrating that oral health services can be provided on a daily basis to individuals with DD could improve oral and systemic health.
","abstract_html":"<p>Purpose: This study explored the impact of an oral health care training program on caregivers’ knowledge of the oral-systemic link and confidence in the provision of oral health care for individuals with DD.</p> <p>Methods: This study used a mixed-methods design with a convenience sample comprised of 11 (N=11) licensed caregivers of developmental disabled employed by Mission Vista in Wenatchee, Washington. A one-group pre-test/post-test design measured the impact of an oral health curriculum on licensed caregivers’ oral hygiene knowledge and confidence in the provision of care to individuals with disabilities. Quantitative measures included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics to describe demographic data and to analyze pre-test and post-test data. Qualitative data was collected to assess caregivers concerns of their client’s oral health and assess knowledge of how to report oral health concerns. Qualitative data was also collected and assessed on how the training changed their own oral health habits.</p> <p>Results: Results showed a significant improvement in post-test scores compared to pre-test scores measuring confidence, (p =.025). Ninety percent of participants, (n=10) indicated they would take a more active role in providing oral health care to their client and they were very confident in evaluating their client’s oral health.</p> <p>Conclusion: An educational intervention program is an effective strategy for caregivers of individuals with DD to increase knowledge on the oral-systemic-link while also increasing confidence in providing oral health care. Thus, demonstrating that oral health services can be provided on a daily basis to individuals with DD could improve oral and systemic health.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Devaney, Tari"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS) in Dental Hygiene","degree_level":"Thesis: EWU Only","degree_discipline":"Dental Hygiene","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:33Z","subjects":["Dental Hygiene","Dental Public Health and Education"],"languages":[],"rights":["Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/479","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Devaney, Tari"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Dental Hygiene"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis: EWU Only"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS) in Dental Hygiene"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Dental Hygiene","Dental Public Health and Education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/479"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Purpose: This study explored the impact of an oral health care training program on caregivers’ knowledge of the oral-systemic link and confidence in the provision of oral health care for individuals with DD.
Methods: This study used a mixed-methods design with a convenience sample comprised of 11 (N=11) licensed caregivers of developmental disabled employed by Mission Vista in Wenatchee, Washington. A one-group pre-test/post-test design measured the impact of an oral health curriculum on licensed caregivers’ oral hygiene knowledge and confidence in the provision of care to individuals with disabilities. Quantitative measures included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics to describe demographic data and to analyze pre-test and post-test data. Qualitative data was collected to assess caregivers concerns of their client’s oral health and assess knowledge of how to report oral health concerns. Qualitative data was also collected and assessed on how the training changed their own oral health habits.
Results: Results showed a significant improvement in post-test scores compared to pre-test scores measuring confidence, (p =.025). Ninety percent of participants, (n=10) indicated they would take a more active role in providing oral health care to their client and they were very confident in evaluating their client’s oral health.
Conclusion: An educational intervention program is an effective strategy for caregivers of individuals with DD to increase knowledge on the oral-systemic-link while also increasing confidence in providing oral health care. Thus, demonstrating that oral health services can be provided on a daily basis to individuals with DD could improve oral and systemic health.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Oral health care training for caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Devaney, Tari"],"dc:description.abstract":["Purpose: This study explored the impact of an oral health care training program on caregivers’ knowledge of the oral-systemic link and confidence in the provision of oral health care for individuals with DD.
Methods: This study used a mixed-methods design with a convenience sample comprised of 11 (N=11) licensed caregivers of developmental disabled employed by Mission Vista in Wenatchee, Washington. A one-group pre-test/post-test design measured the impact of an oral health curriculum on licensed caregivers’ oral hygiene knowledge and confidence in the provision of care to individuals with disabilities. Quantitative measures included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics to describe demographic data and to analyze pre-test and post-test data. Qualitative data was collected to assess caregivers concerns of their client’s oral health and assess knowledge of how to report oral health concerns. Qualitative data was also collected and assessed on how the training changed their own oral health habits.
Results: Results showed a significant improvement in post-test scores compared to pre-test scores measuring confidence, (p =.025). Ninety percent of participants, (n=10) indicated they would take a more active role in providing oral health care to their client and they were very confident in evaluating their client’s oral health.
Conclusion: An educational intervention program is an effective strategy for caregivers of individuals with DD to increase knowledge on the oral-systemic-link while also increasing confidence in providing oral health care. Thus, demonstrating that oral health services can be provided on a daily basis to individuals with DD could improve oral and systemic health.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/479"],"dc:rights":["Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID"],"dc:subject":["Dental Hygiene","Dental Public Health and Education"],"dc:title":["Oral health care training for caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Dental Hygiene"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis: EWU Only"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS) in Dental Hygiene"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:33Z"}