Changes in Dental Caries Risk among Middle School Students Using an ICT-Based Caries Management Program
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background: Dental caries is a prevalent public health problem among adolescents that significantly affects their quality of life.The Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) model provides a structured, risk-based approach for caries prevention and management.This study evaluated the effectiveness of the CAMBRA-students mobile application, integrated with an information and communication technology (ICT) based intervention, in modifying caries risk factors in middle school students.Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used.A total of 131 middle school students aged 13∼14 years participated.The experimental group (n=68) received a risk-based intervention using the CAMBRA-student mobile application for 1 year, while the control group (n=63) received only standard oral health education and underwent pre-and post-tests.Data on caries risk factors; protective factors; disease indicators; and decayed, missing, and filled teeth rates were collected.Paired and independent t-tests were conducted to analyze changes within and between groups.Results: The rate of change in the caries risk classification before and after the intervention differed between the groups.In the control group, 50% of the low-risk participants were at a high-risk after 12 months.In the intervention group, 90% of the low-risk participants shifted to the high-risk category, and those classified as extremely high-risk moved to the high-risk category.When comparing changes in the caries risk assessment before and after the intervention, both groups demonstrated a significant increase in protective factors (p＜0.001).However, disease indicators increased significantly in the control, whereas no significant change was noted in the intervention group.Conclusion: This study evaluated the effectiveness of an ICT-based caries management program for middle school students and confirmed changes in protective factors and specific oral health behaviors through personalized interventions.Future studies should investigate the long-term sustainability of such interventions across diverse populations to further establish their effectiveness.
Authors: An-Na Yeo, Yu-Min Kang, Su-Young Lee
Language: English
Subfield: Periodontics
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408913616