Abstract
Introduction: Dental caries remains a major public health concern among schoolchildren in Qatar despite ongoing oral health promotion and school-based prevention programs. Understanding stakeholder perspectives may help improve preventive strategies. This study explored stakeholder perspectives on factors influencing oral health behaviors among primary schoolchildren in Qatar and identified contextual opportunities to strengthen behaviors relevant to dental caries prevention.
Methods: A qualitative multiple case study design was used involving semi-structured interviews with children, parents, teachers, teaching assistants, and school nurses from one public and one private primary school in Qatar. Thirty-one participants were included. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: Both home and school environments played important roles in shaping children’s oral health behaviors. Parents, teachers, and school nurses were identified as key influences on oral hygiene practices, dietary behaviors, and participation in oral health activities. Although participants generally demonstrated awareness of oral health and preventive practices, inconsistent behavioral reinforcement, limited parental involvement, and variations in program implementation were identified as challenges that participants perceived as barriers to sustaining preventive oral-health behaviors.
Conclusion: Collaborative school- and family-based approaches are essential for improving oral health behaviors among primary school children in Qatar. Strengthening coordination between parents, schools, healthcare professionals, and policymakers may improve the consistency and sustainability of school- and family-based oral-health promotion.