Goal Attainment-Based Parent Education for ECC Prevention (GAT-ECC)

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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Early Childhood Caries (ECC)
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Structured Parent Education

Detailed Description

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.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Centre
    • Rize, Centre, Turkey (Türkiye), 53020
      • Karadeniz Technical University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

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

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental group; Participants in this group receive structured parent education sessions, including oral hygiene training, diet counseling, and guidance on early childhood caries prevention.	Behavioral: Structured Parent Education; 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
No Intervention: Control group; Participants in this group receive standard care, including routine oral health information provided during regular clinic visits, without structured educational sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Parental Knowledge Score	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.	Baseline, 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Karadeniz Technical University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Serpil Boran, MSc, Karadeniz Technical University, Graduate School of Health Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): February 28, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 4, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 9, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 10, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 9, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Child; Behavior; Parents; Education; Knowledge; Primary Tooth Decay
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: TDK-2025-16367 (Other Grant/Funding Number: KTU Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified individual participant data collected in this study will be made available for research purposes. Qualified researchers may request access, which will be provided through a secure data sharing process. The data will be accessible for up to 5 years after publication of the main study results, subject to ethical approval and data use agreements.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No