{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T17:27:40Z","timestamp":1786728460061,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775001600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"\n BACKGROUND:<\/jats:title>\n Persons with disabilities (PWDs) face significant barriers to accessing equitable dental care, primarily due to dentists\u2019 insufficient training. The Equality in Special Care Dentistry (EQUALISED) program aims to empower dental students with better understanding in providing dental care for PWDs. This study evaluates the program\u2019s impact on dental students\u2019 knowledge and awareness toward PWDs.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n MATERIALS AND METHODS:<\/jats:title>\n Using a quasi-experimental pretest\u2013post-test design, knowledge and feedback among students at Universitas Airlangga were assessed after the program. A total of 86 fifth-year dental students participated in a 1-day program, which included interactive seminars, experiential learning with PWDs, video campaigns assignments, and reflective discussions. Pre- and post-EQUALISED was assessed using a validated 10-item true\/false quiz. Program feedback was collected using a structured online questionnaire with Likert scale and an open-ended item. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. The significance level was set at. 05.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n RESULTS:<\/jats:title>\n \n The EQUALISED program resulted in significant improvements in students\u2019 post-test performance. The failure rate decreased from 1.2% to 0%, while the proportion of students achieving excellent scores increased from 34.1% to 90.6%. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n < 0.001) with a strong effect size (Cram\u00e9r\n V<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.81). Students also provided positive feedback, particularly valuing the real-life experiences shared by PWDs.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n CONCLUSIONS:<\/jats:title>\n The EQUALISED program significantly improved students\u2019 disability knowledge and awareness, supporting inclusive care goals aligned with health equity policies. Embedding such training into dental curricula can reduce oral health disparities and foster empathetic dentists.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_138_25","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T15:01:36Z","timestamp":1778166096000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Empowering dental students: A quasi-experimental study on disability awareness through the EQUALISED program"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Maryani Mohamed","family":"Rohani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lily Azura","family":"Shoaib","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ninuk","family":"Hariyani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"R3-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0249727","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0249727","article-title":"Special care dentistry perception among dentists in Jakarta: An online survey study","volume":"16","author":"Mandasari","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"R4-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1007\/s41134-024-00298-z","article-title":"Breaking barriers: Addressing the critical challenges of disability concession in ASEAN countries","volume":"9","author":"Hermawan","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Hum Rights Soc Work"},{"key":"R5-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.3109\/13668250.2023.2243771","article-title":"Educating the educated: The impact of educational interventions on knowledge, attitudes and confidence of healthcare professionals in caring for patients with intellectual disability: A systematic review","volume":"49","author":"Hay","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Intellect Dev Disabil"},{"key":"R6-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"690","DOI":"10.1002\/jdd.12528","article-title":"Dental students\u2019 perception on Disability Equality Training as part of the special care dentistry curriculum","volume":"85","author":"Mohamed","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Dent Educ"},{"key":"R7-20260507","first-page":"254","article-title":"The impact of educational interventions on disability-related knowledge in healthcare students","volume":"42","author":"Smith","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Med Educ"},{"key":"R8-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_217_18","article-title":"Faculty members\u2019 experience regarding rehabilitation teamwork education in Iran: A descriptive exploratory qualitative study","volume":"8","author":"Ghanbari","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Educ Health Promot"},{"key":"R9-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_209_18","article-title":"Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and behavior about the disease process and physiotherapy management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A qualitative study","volume":"8","author":"Gupta","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Educ Health Promot"},{"key":"R10-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"214","DOI":"10.4103\/jehp.jehp_2043_23","article-title":"Implementation of a psychiatric nursing boot camp to improve the empathy and stigma toward psychiatric patients in nursing students","volume":"14","author":"Ghaljeh","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Educ Health Promot"},{"key":"R11-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2609","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-022-09695-0","article-title":"Teachers\u2019 beliefs about inclusive education and insights on what contributes to those beliefs: A meta-analytical study","volume":"34","author":"Dignath","year":"2022","journal-title":"Educ Psychol Rev"},{"key":"R12-20260507","first-page":"16","article-title":"Professional development for paraprofessionals on inclusive practices using disability studies in education","volume":"3","author":"Damiani","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Spec Educ Prep"},{"key":"R13-20260507","first-page":"101413","article-title":"Disparities in dental care access among adults with disabilities: A national analysis","volume":"16","author":"Friedman","year":"2023","journal-title":"Disabil Health J"},{"key":"R14-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e70031","DOI":"10.1111\/scd.70031","article-title":"Transformative dental care in pediatric Moebius syndrome: Bridging oral health and systemic management during prolonged hospitalization","volume":"45","author":"Delgado","year":"2025","journal-title":"Spec Care Dentist."},{"key":"R15-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e70042","DOI":"10.1111\/scd.70042","article-title":"A targeted approach to dental treatment for patients prior to and after head and neck radiation","volume":"45","author":"Tso","year":"2025","journal-title":"Spec Care Dentist"},{"key":"R16-20260507","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"741","DOI":"10.1111\/eje.12756","article-title":"Impact of the special care dentistry education on Malaysian students\u2019 attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to treat people with learning disability","volume":"26","author":"Mohamed","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur J Dent Educ"}],"container-title":["Journal of Education and Health Promotion"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/jehp.jehp_138_25","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T16:27:19Z","timestamp":1786724839000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/jehp.jehp_138_25"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]},"references-count":14,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4103\/jehp.jehp_138_25","relation":{},"ISSN":["2277-9531","2319-6440"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2277-9531","type":"print"},{"value":"2319-6440","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-01-22","name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-08-29","name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}