•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of art therapy and animated cartoon-based audio-visual methods in improving dental and oral health knowledge among elementary school students.

Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a two-group pre-test post-test design and was conducted at SDN 2 Daya, Makassar, in August 2024. The sample consisted of first-grade students selected using purposive sampling. Interventions were delivered through two approaches: art therapy (illustrated storytelling) and animated cartoon-based audio-visual media. Data were collected using structured questionnaires administered before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis used the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests due to non-normal data distribution.

Results: Both methods significantly improved students’ dental and oral health knowledge (p = 0.000). No significant difference was found between the two methods (p = 0.268), indicating comparable educational effectiveness. Art therapy encouraged active, creative engagement, while animated cartoons enhanced learning through visual and auditory stimulation.

Conclusion: Art therapy and animated cartoon-based audio-visual methods are both effective strategies for improving dental and oral health knowledge in elementary school children. Given their statistical equivalence, both methods can serve as alternative educational strategies tailored to students' learning preferences. Appropriate statistical analysis must also consider data distribution to ensure valid conclusions.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Rights

©2025Retno S. Daulimah, Ayub I. Anwar, Fuad H. Akbar, Hasanuddin, Edy Machmud, Eddy H. Habar

DOI

10.15562/jdmfs.v10i3.2001

Download

Share

COinS