THE LEVEL OF DMF - T INDEX AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN BASED ON THEIR PARENTS SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.

The Level of DMF – T Index among School Children Based on Their
Parents’ Socioeconomic Status – Sujita Kurup Kutty Krishnan –
160110083010
ABSTRACT
Malaysia is situated in the southeast region of the Asian continent. Dental
health services became an importance in the 1970’s as programs related to dental
health

care

were

gradually

introduced

in

schools.

Various


national

epidemiological surveys were done to assess the prevalence of dental caries
among children in Malaysia.
The Malaysian Oral Health Survey on 5-years old children carried out in
2005 showed caries prevalence was 75.5%. Mean DMF-T was 5.57. Dental
epidemiological study showed that 95.4% of 6 years old children had carious
primary teeth in Peninsular Malaysia. This figure dropped to 88.6% in 1988, and
by 1997 a further reduction to 80.6% was reported.
The aim of this study is to see the level of DMF – T index among school
children based on their parents’ socioeconomic status taking into consideration the
level of education and income of fathers. This descriptive research using the
survey technique was conducted at SJK(T) Klebang, Chemor, Perak, Malaysia.
DMF - T index consists of the total number of Decayed, Missing and Filled tooth
as well as questionnaire on socioeconomic background of the parents are
examined.
The DMF - T index of children in SJK (T) Klebang, Chemor, Perak are
0.2. Based on the questionnaire, a majority of fathers of parents in Chemor, Perak
are of upper secondary education and income ranging from RM 500 – RM 1000.

As a conclusion, the DMF – T Index of children in SJK (T) Klebang based
on their father’s socioeconomic status shows that it is within the range of “Very
Low” based on the DMF – T Index Scale.
Keyword: DMF - T Index, Socioeconomic factors, Father’s Level of
Education and Income, Children at SJK (T) Klebang, Chemor, Perak,
Malaysia.

v

The Level of DMF – T Index among School Children Based on Their Parents’
Socioeconomic Status– Sujita Kurup Kutty Krishnan - 160110083010
ABSTRAK
Malaysia adalah salah satu negara yang terletak di bagian tenggara benua
Asia. Pelayanan kesehatan gigi mulai menjadi fokus di sekitar tahun 1970 – an
mencakup program untuk kesehatan gigi secara bertahap diperkenalkan di
sekolah – sekolah. beberapa survey mengenai epidemiologi telah dilakukan untuk
melihat prevalensi karies pada golongan anak.
Survei Kesehatan Gigi dan Mulut Malaysia menunjukkan pada tahun 2005
prevalensinya adalah 75.5%. Studi epidemiologi menunjukkan 95.4% anak – anak
usia 6 tahun mempunyai karies pada gigi sulung di Malaysia. Namun, angkanya

menurun kepada 88.6% pada tahun 1988, dan pada tahun 1997, angka tersebut
menurun lagi ke 80.6%.
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat tingkat Indeks DMF – T gigi
anak di SJK (T) Klebang, Chemor, Perak berdasarkan tingkat pendidikan dan
tingkat pendapatan orang tua. Jenis penelitian adalah deskriptif dengan teknik
survey. Akan dilakukan pemeriksaan Indeks DMFT terdiri dari jumlah gigi yang
berkaries, hilang dan ditambal, juga pengisian kuesioner tentang kondisi sosial
ekonomi orang tua berdasarkan tingkat pendidikan dan pendapatan ayah.
Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahawa Indeks DMF - T untuk anak di SJK
(T) Klebang adalah 0.2. Hasil kuesioner menunjukkan bahawa mayoritas orang
tua di Chemor memiliki tingkat pendidikan menengah tinggi dan pendapatan di
antara RM 500 – RM 1000.
Simpulan dari penelitian ini adalah Indeks DMF - T anak di SJK (T)
Klebang, Chemor berdasarkan tingkat pendidikan dan tingkat pendapatan orang
tua khususnya ayah adalah tergolong di bawah kategori sangat rendah
berdasarkan skala Indeks DMF – T.
Kata kunci: Indeks DMFT, faktor sosio – ekonomi, tingkat pendidikan dan
pendapatan ayah, anak SJK (T) Klebang, Chemor, Perak, Malaysia.

vi