This research will determine if a video training program, delivered to caregivers in group homes for people with mental retardation (MR), can provide the training and motivation to measurably improve the oral health of the clients. People with MR are increasingly being moved into community settings. Caregivers in the community residences are typically not oral care experts, yet it is they who have responsibility for assuring adequate daily oral hygiene. It has been established that the oral health of those with MR is often poor, and that daily oral hygiene is the best defense against disease. A video training program administered by group home trainers could facilitate an improvement in the caregivers' awareness of the importance of oral hygiene for the clients. Phase I will determine if the videos gain the desired change in knowledge and attitude. Phase II will measure changes in oral health status of the residents, using the Oral Health Index (OHI) which is an established method for quantifying oral health. If successful, videos can be sold to schools, group homes, regional facilities, and to parents of those with MR. The relative ease of video training will help increase hygiene awareness and hopefully help to avoid disease in persons with MR.
