Goal Attainment-Based Parent Education for ECC Prevention

Preventing early childhood caries (ECC) requires improving parental knowledge and behavior, as parents play a critical role in establishing oral and dental health practices during early childhood. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a parent-focused educational intervention, delivered within the nursing discipline and grounded in King's Theory of Goal Attainment, in preventing ECC. A pretest-posttest randomized controlled experimental design was employed. The study was conducted with 100 parents of children aged 0-3 years who presented for treatment at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry. Parents in the intervention group received ECC-prevention education supported by booklets, brochures, and videos.

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Key information

Conditions

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) Behavior

Age range

1 year–3 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Karadeniz Technical University

Rize, Centre, 53020, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a common dental health problem affecting children under the age of three, which can lead to pain, infection, and long-term oral health issues. Parental knowledge and behaviors play a critical role in the prevention of ECC, as early habits significantly influence children's oral health outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of structured parent education in improving parental knowledge and oral hygiene practices, and in reducing ECC incidence in young children.

This randomized controlled trial will include two groups: an experimental group receiving structured oral health education and a control group receiving standard care. A total of 100 parents with children aged 0-3 years who meet the inclusion criteria will be recruited at the Rize University Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Pedodontics. Participants will be randomly assigned to either group using a simple randomization method via an online randomization tool.

Eligible participants include parents of healthy children without chronic diseases, special care needs, or mental/communication disorders. Participants must be able to read, write, and speak Turkish. Parents who do not meet these criteria will be excluded.

The intervention consists of educational sessions on oral hygiene practices, diet, fluoride use, and early detection of dental caries. Parents in the control group will receive routine information and standard dental care without structured education. Primary outcomes include changes in parental knowledge scores and ECC incidence in children. Secondary outcomes include improvements in oral hygiene behaviors and adherence to preventive practices.

Data will be collected through questionnaires, clinical examinations, and follow-up visits. Statistical analyses will compare outcomes between the experimental and control groups to determine the effectiveness of the parent education program.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Parents of children aged 0-3 years
Ability to read, write, and speak Turkish
Willingness to participate and provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Parents of children with chronic diseases
Parents of children with special care needs
Parents unwilling to participate in the study

Treatment and study plan

Structured Parent Education

Behavioral

Participants in the experimental group receive structured parent education sessions covering oral hygiene practices, diet counseling, fluoride use, and strategies for early childhood caries prevention. Sessions include interactive discussions, demonstrations, and take-home educational materials.

Other names: Parent Education Program, Oral Health Training for Parents

Primary outcomes

Parental Knowledge Score

Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

The Early Childhood Caries Prevention Knowledge and Behavior Questionnaire was used to assess parents' knowledge and practices regarding the prevention of early childhood caries (ECC). The questionnaire was developed by the research team based on a review of the relevant literature and King's purposive data collection approach. It consists of 26 items evaluating parental knowledge and behaviors related to oral hygiene practices, dietary habits, fluoride use, dental visit timing, and risk factors for ECC.

Each correct response receives 1 point, and incorrect or "do not know" responses receive 0 points. The total score ranges from 0 to 26. Higher scores indicate greater parental knowledge and more appropriate oral health behaviors related to the prevention of early childhood caries.

The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, which was found to be 0.727, indicating acceptable internal consistency.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Karadeniz Technical University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Assessing the Effectiveness of Parent Education on the Prevention of Early Childhood Caries Based on Goal Attainment Theory

Acronym: GAT-ECC

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Mar 10, 2026
Registry last updated: Mar 10, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed