Integration of Oral Health Interventions in the Health Promoting Schools Program in Iran: A Multi-Stakeholder Feasibility Assessment

Abstract

Objectives: Based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization, we investigated the feasibility of oral health interventions (OHIs) as part of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) program in Karaj city elementary schools. Materials and Methods: OHIs were accepted to be integrated into the components of HPS program by using the nominal group technique (NGT) and semi-structured interviews. Three NGT meetings were held with the faculty members of the School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and Karaj elementary school health care providers. Semi-structured interviews were held with school health executives of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. The expert panel edited the OHIs and corrected the fragmentations, overlaps, and duplications. OHIs were sent to 24 individuals in six multi-stakeholder groups (faculty members of pediatric dentistry and community oral health departments, elementary school administrators, executive managers of Ministry of Health and Medical Education, elementary school dean and school healthcare providers). They were asked to score the feasibility of each intervention on a scale of 0 to 10. Results: Based on the mean score of feasibility (threshold: 8) the OHIs were divided into two groups of feasible and infeasible. Eighty-six interventions were feasible, with a total mean score of 8.83±0.59 out of 10. The highest feasibility score was related to “comprehensive school health education”. Conclusion: Integration of OHIs in HPS program is acceptable and feasible. The results can help policy-makers support the integration of OHIs in HPS program and encourage them to implement the program at the national level.