The Ular Naga Panjang Game as an Effort to Improve Dental and Oral Health Knowledge in Early Childhood

Abstract

Background: Oral and dental health is an important component of overall health. Low levels of oral and dental health knowledge among children may increase the risk of oral health problems, such as dental caries. One approach to improving children's oral and dental health knowledge is education through interactive and enjoyable learning methods, including counseling using the Ular Naga Panjang game. Objective: This study aimed to analyze oral and dental health knowledge before and after counseling using the Ular Naga Panjang game among early childhood children. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The study was conducted at Raudhatul Athfal Nurul Badar, South Jakarta, in April 2026. Total sampling was used. Data were collected using a 10-item multiple-choice questionnaire and analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Results: Before counseling, 24 students (60%) had good knowledge and 16 students (40%) had poor knowledge. After counseling using the Ular Naga Panjang game, all 40 students (100%) were categorized as having good knowledge. The Wilcoxon test produced a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant difference in knowledge before and after the intervention. Conclusion: The Ular Naga Panjang game was effective in improving oral and dental health knowledge among early childhood children