<![CDATA[ABSTRACTBackground: Children in primary school are often exposed to tooth and gum disorders because their understanding of proper daily care practices remains inadequate. One strategy for strengthening this understanding is the delivery of Dental Health Education (DHE) through learning tools that are visually appealing, simple, and suitable for children’s cognitive level. Compact illustrated handbooks and sequential visual charts may assist educators in presenting dental care messages in a clearer and more engaging manner. Objective: This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of DHE delivered through an illustrated handbook and a sequential visual chart at fourth-grade learners MI Alfurqan Banjarmasin. Methods: A quasi-experimental approach with a Pretest-Posttest control group format was applied in this research. Sampling was carried out through a simple random procedure, resulting in 76 participants who were assigned into two intervention groups: one group received education using an illustrated handbook, while the other received education using a sequential visual chart. Data were obtained through a 15-question instrument measuring dental care comprehension, administered before and after the educational session. Results: The findings showed that participants’ scores increased after the educational intervention in both groups. The use of the illustrated handbook and the sequential visual chart produced comparable improvements, indicating that each medium was effective in enhancing pupils’ understanding of dental and mouth care. Conclusion: Illustrated handbooks and sequential visual charts may serve as practical learning alternatives in school-based Dental Health Education activities, particularly for strengthening elementary learners’ comprehension of proper dental and mouth care practices. Keywords: comprehension, dental care education, illustrated handbook, mouth hygiene, visual chart ABSTRAKLatar Belakang: Peserta didik pada jenjang dasar masih berisiko mengalami gangguan pada area mulut karena pemahaman mereka tentang cara merawat gigi secara benar belum optimal. Upaya edukatif dapat diberikan melalui penyuluhan perawatan gigi dengan bantuan sarana belajar yang sederhana, menarik, dan sesuai dengan kemampuan berpikir anak. Buku saku bergambar dan lembar balik visual menjadi dua media cetak yang dapat dimanfaatkan untuk menyampaikan pesan perawatan gigi secara lebih jelas kepada anak. Tujuan: Penelitian ini diarahkan untuk membandingkan efektivitas penyuluhan perawatan gigi menggunakan buku saku bergambar dan lembar balik visual terhadap bertambahnya pemahaman anak kelas IV MI Alfurqan Banjarmasin. Metode: Kajian ini menerapkan pendekatan eksperimen semu dengan rancangan dua kelompok melalui pengukuran awal dan pengukuran akhir. Pemilihan responden dilakukan secara acak sederhana, sehingga diperoleh 76 anak yang kemudian ditempatkan ke dalam dua kelompok perlakuan, yaitu kelompok dengan media buku saku bergambar dan kelompok dengan media lembar balik visual. Data dikumpulkan melalui instrumen berisi 15 butir pertanyaan mengenai perawatan rongga mulut dan gigi, yang diberikan sebelum serta setelah kegiatan edukasi. Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya perubahan skor antara sebelum dan sesudah kegiatan edukatif pada kedua kelompok. Buku saku bergambar dan lembar balik visual sama-sama memberikan dampak positif terhadap pemahaman anak mengenai perawatan rongga mulut dan gigi. Kesimpulan: Buku saku bergambar dan lembar balik visual dapat dipertimbangkan sebagai pilihan media penyuluhan perawatan gigi di sekolah dasar karena keduanya mampu membantu anak memahami materi perawatan rongga mulut dan gigi secara lebih baik. Kata kunci: buku saku bergambar, lembar balik visual, pemahaman, penyuluhan perawatan gigi, perawatan rongga mulut.]]>
