<![CDATA[Latar belakang: Karies gigi merupakan penyakit infeksi kronis dengan prevalensi yang masih sangat tinggi di Indonesia, yaitu mencapai 88,8%. Namun, hanya 10,2% penderita yang memanfaatkan layanan perawatan gigi. Rendahnya pemanfaatan layanan tersebut dipengaruhi oleh persepsi yang keliru bahwa gigi berlubang yang tidak menimbulkan nyeri tidak memerlukan perawatan serta tingginya kecemasan terhadap perawatan gigi pada remaja. Kondisi ini menunjukkan pentingnya upaya edukasi untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan mengenai sifat progresif karies gigi, konsekuensi penundaan perawatan, dan pentingnya intervensi dini. Tujuan: Meningkatkan pengetahuan siswa mengenai sifat progresif karies gigi, konsekuensi penundaan perawatan, dan pentingnya intervensi dini. Metode: Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat dilaksanakan melalui program edukasi interaktif SI PETUALANG pada 16 Juli 2025 selama 120 menit dengan metode ceramah, media visual, diskusi, dan tanya jawab. Peserta terdiri atas 30 siswa berusia 16–18 tahun. Tingkat pengetahuan diukur menggunakan kuesioner sebelum dan sesudah edukasi, sedangkan kepuasan peserta dievaluasi setelah kegiatan. Data dianalisis menggunakan uji Wilcoxon dan korelasi Spearman. Hasil: Sebanyak 27 peserta (90%) mengalami peningkatan pengetahuan setelah mengikuti edukasi. Proporsi peserta dengan kategori pengetahuan tinggi dan sangat tinggi meningkat dari 23,3% sebelum intervensi menjadi 76,7% setelah intervensi. Hasil uji Wilcoxon menunjukkan perbedaan yang bermakna antara skor pre-test dan post-test (p<0,001). Selain itu, terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara tingkat kepuasan peserta dan peningkatan pengetahuan (r=0,381; p=0,038), dengan 90% peserta menyatakan puas atau sangat puas terhadap pelaksanaan program. Kesimpulan: Program edukasi SI PETUALANG efektif meningkatkan pengetahuan siswa mengenai karies gigi dan pentingnya penanganan dini. Program ini berpotensi diimplementasikan secara berkelanjutan sebagai salah satu strategi promosi kesehatan gigi di lingkungan sekolah. Kata kunci: edukasi kesehatan gigi, karies gigi, perawatan dini, pengetahuan, remaja ______________________________________________________________________ Abstract Background: Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases worldwide. In Indonesia, its prevalence reaches 88.8%, yet only 10.2% of affected individuals utilize dental care services. This treatment gap is partly attributed to the misconception that asymptomatic carious lesions do not require treatment and to the high prevalence of dental anxiety among adolescents. Educational interventions that improve awareness of the progressive nature of dental caries and the importance of early treatment are therefore needed. Objective: This community-based educational program aimed to improve students' knowledge of the progressive nature of dental caries, the consequences of delaying treatment, and the importance of early intervention. Method: An interactive educational program entitled SI PETUALANG was implemented on July 16, 2025, through visual presentations, discussions, and question-and-answer sessions over a 120-minute period. Thirty students aged 16–18 years participated in the program. Knowledge was assessed using a five-category ordinal questionnaire administered before and after the intervention. Participant satisfaction was evaluated following the program. Changes in knowledge were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, while the association between participant satisfaction and knowledge improvement was examined using Spearman's correlation. Result: Knowledge scores improved in 27 of the 30 participants (90.0%) following the intervention. The proportion of students with high or very high knowledge increased from 23.3% at baseline to 76.7% after the program. Wilcoxon analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in knowledge (p<0.001). Participant satisfaction was positively associated with knowledge improvement (r=0.381, p=0.038), and 90.0% of participants reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the educational program. Conclusion: The SI PETUALANG educational program effectively improved adolescents' knowledge of dental caries and the importance of early treatment. These findings support the integration of interactive, school-based oral health education into preventive oral health promotion programs to enhance adolescents' oral health literacy and encourage timely dental care utilization. Keywords: adolescents, early treatment, dental caries, knowledge, oral health education]]>
