Designing Change: From Research to Results in Global Oral Health SBCC

This three-part panel brings together Save the Children (SC) teams from Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States to explore how SBCC strategies can be designed, tested, and implemented to improve oral health outcomes for children. Supported by the Mars-Wrigley Foundation through the Healthy Smiles project, the initiative began with a formative research phase in early 2025 to identify behavioral barriers to both preventive (e.g., healthy eating and toothbrushing) and reactive (e.g., seeking dental treatment) oral health practices among school-aged children.

Drawing on insights from this research, SC school health and research teams across the three countries co-designed and tested two behaviorally informed interventions in the Philippines: (1) a reminder tool (e.g., alarm clock) to prompt daily brushing, and (2) SMS messages to parents encouraging consistent oral hygiene. A second study in Indonesia explored the impact of message framing – positive vs. negative – included in communication to parents on follow-up dental visits following school-based screenings and referrals.

The experience generated key learnings regarding cross-country collaboration that made this work possible, highlighting how remote training, mentoring, and capacity strengthening enabled local teams to lead the research, testing, and implementation processes. Together, these panels offer a comprehensive look at how SBCC can be used to shift behaviors, the value of A/B testing in real-world settings, and the importance of investing in local capacity to drive sustainable change. The session will share findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for future SBCC programming in oral health and beyond.