However, as the reviews have suggested, the costeffectiveness
of many of these programmes is
questionable. It has been noted that children often
receive information from and have their behaviour
patterns influenced by their mothers, and that teachers
may be giving information based on prevailing
myths of the time [8,9]. School-based programmes
often use dental professionals as educators to ensure
accuracy of information. Wight and Blinkhorn [10]
found the extra costs of hygienist-run programmes
in a school to be too high to justify them, despite
a measurable decrease in caries increment. The
teacher-based group in the above study was also
costly since teachers were paid for extra activities.
Improvements in knowledge and reported behaviour
have been reported in an randomized controlled trial
of a school education programme [11]. However, the
authors concluded that it is questionable whether the
health gain justified the financial and personnel
costs. Because of this disparity between cost and
effectiveness, Kay and Locker [1] stated that ‘the
option of doing nothing must always be considered’
with oral health promotion.