2 research outputs found
Smile toothgether : an early childhood oral health campaign
This paper presents a health communication campaign “Smile Toothgether”, by Queenie,
Keith, Gladys, and Rebecca, four final year undergraduates from the Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The
campaign was designed and launched in response to tackle the high incidence of early
childhood caries (ECC) among children below the age of six in Singapore. This paper details
Smile Toothgether’s research, campaign development, and evaluation.
Secondary research revealed that the prevalence of early childhood oral health-related issues
such as dental caries were increasingly evident globally as well as in Singapore. This was due
to transmission of bacteria species, poor feeding practices, and inadequate oral health
practices. Dentists recommend that parents first bring their children to the dentist by the age
of one, but most parents did not do so, only making an appointment when oral health
problems arose. Primary research revealed that parents held many misconceptions
surrounding cariogenic substances, dental visits, and administering oral care routines for
their children below the age of six. This was accompanied by high perceived self-efficacy,
meaning that many parents in Singapore were overconfident when it came to caring for their
children’s oral health.
Smile Toothgether was launched and targeted at parents with children aged six years and
under. The campaign tactics utilised tailored content and several online interactive
approaches to educate parents on the benefits of early preventive oral health behaviours. The
campaign also communicated the importance of early dental visits to minimise the onset of
ECC. The campaign was effective, amplifying risk perception of cariogenic substances and
early oral health diseases in the target audience. The campaign also decreased the perceived
financial costs of early dental visits, increasing their perceived accessibility to parents.
Despite the campaign’s success, its post-campaign research indicated that further sustained
communication efforts are necessary to fight ECC in Singapore.Bachelor of Communication Studie
Proceedings of International Technical Postgraduate Conference 2022
This conference proceedings contains articles on the various research ideas of the academic & research communities presented at the International Technical Postgraduate Conference 2022 (TECH POST 2022) that was held at Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 24-25 September 2022. TECH POST 2022 was organized by the Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya. The theme of the conference is “Embracing Innovative Engineering Technologies Towards a Sustainable Future”. TECH POST 2022 conference is intended to foster the dissemination of state-of-the-art research from five main disciplines of Engineering: Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. The objectives of TECH POST 2022 are to bring together innovative researchers from all engineering disciplines to a common forum, promote R&D activities in Engineering, and promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge and research know-how between researchers, engineers, and students.
Conference Title: International Technical Postgraduate Conference 2022Conference Acronym:Â TECH POST 2022Conference Date: 24-25 September 2022Conference Location: Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (Hybrid Mode)Conference Organizers: Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia