Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the value of individualized repeated plaque control instruction by examination the changes in a plaque control score resulting from repeated instruction times. Methods: Data were obtained from dental records of patients who visited the department of preventive dentistry at the Kangnung National University dental hospital from January 2006 to December 2007. From that number 173 patients who had visited three to four times for plaque control instruction with between visits intervals of less then 14 days were selected as subjects. The effect of repeated instruction was analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance using a generalized linear modeling method. Results : Plaque control scores were enhanced by repeated instruction times(P<0.001). When patients later returned for periodic checkups, their plaque control scores were lower they had been immediately after the instruction, but those scores were still statistically significantly higher than their baseline plaque control score(P<0.001). Conclusions : These results suggests the needs for individuals to be given repeated plaque control instruction rather than the usual one-shot method. Instructions must be offered three to four times before the plaque control score reaches the proper level. Although those scores were lower two to three months after the final instruction visit, they were still significantly higher than baseline. Thus the repeated instruction retain their effects for at least two to three months afterward.