Overview of dental health behavior change strategies for preschool age children in Jelbuk District Jember Regency

Introduction: Dental health problems in Jember Regency amounted to 94,439 cases. Behavioral factors play an important role in influencing oral health status, as evidenced by the correct tooth-brushing behavior of the Indonesian population, which has increased from 2.8% in 2018 to 6.2% in 2023. Jelbuk Sub-district is one of the areas with the highest prevalence of caries and is ranked third in Jember Regency. Dental health problems in Jelbuk District, especially rampant caries and Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in pre-school children, are caused by low parental knowledge. This study aims to determine strategies for changing dental health behavior in pre-school children, which are classified as compliance (compultion), identification (imitating), or internalizing (habitual). Methods: This research was conducted in the working area of the Puskesmas and Kindergarten in Jelbuk District, Jember Regency, from July to October 2024. The methodology used in this study was descriptive observational with a cross-sectional approach. The study population included 268 children aged 3-6 years, selected through purposive sampling. Data were obtained through questionnaires regarding preschool children's dental health behavior and behaviour change strategies. Result: Most preschool children have “fair” dental health behavior (65.7%). Based on age group, “fair” behavior was most dominant in children aged 5 years (61.6%). Regarding behavior change strategies, the most dominant strategy seen was the identification (imitation) strategy at 52.6% and the least used strategy was the forced strategy at 1.9%. Conclusion: The majority of pre-school children's dental health behavior was in the “fair” category (65.7%). The identification (imitation) strategy dominated at 52.6% as a method of behavior change in pre-school children across all age groups, while the compliance (compultion) strategy was found at 1.9%.