Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of toothbrushing after oral hygiene instruction using dental student and audiovisual media in primary schoolchildren. Methods: One hundred sixty two children (10-12 years of age) in demonstrative school, Khon Kaen, Thailand were randomly allocated to 3 groups matched with regard to baseline score of plaque, age and sex. The following methods of instruction were applied; group I-control group, group II-dental student group and group III-audiovisual media group. The effectiveness of toothbrushing was evaluated by children's knowledge score and plaque index score at baseline and after received oral hygiene instruction. The mean difference of knowledge score and plaque index score were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistic among 3 groups at 0.05 á level. Results: No statistically significant difference on knowledge score and plaque index score at baseline among 3 groups was found (p=0.493, p=0.509). The result after given oral hygiene instruction showed statistically significant difference on the different knowledge score and plaque index score among 3 groups (p<0.001, p=0.003). The statistically significant difference was found between the results from control group and oral hygiene-instructed group but no statistically significant difference was found between the results from dental student group and audiovisual media group. Conclusions: A comparison of toothbrushing effectiveness of oral hygiene instruction using dental student and audiovisual media in primary school found there were no statistically significant difference of knowledge score and plaque index score so that this audiovisual media probably use instead of dental practitioner.

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