Visual novel game as a new breakthrough in dental health education media for stunted children in Indonesia

Background: Education level is one of the factors that affect children’s oral health status. The research focuses on elementary school-age children due to their limited capacity for formal thought. Educational games are a type of game that not only provides entertainment but also conveys knowledge to their users. Visual novel games offer a new breakthrough to enhance oral health status. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of educational media in the form of a visual novel game as an innovative oral health education tool for stunted children in elementary schools, especially in the Bojongsari area, Indonesia. Methods: This study used a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design to evaluate the effectiveness of visual novel game educational media on improving oral health knowledge in stunted children in Indonesia, which was then reinforced with in-depth interviews as supporting qualitative data. Results: The research demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge pre-and post-test, and the majority of students retrieved remarkably satisfying knowledge after playing the game. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between pre-test and post-test knowledge scores among stunted children at Sekolah Dasar Negeri (SDN; Public Elementary School) Pontir 2 and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI; Islamic Elementary School) Hidayatul Athfal with a p-value < 0.05. Additionally, the game facilitated information and persuasiveness through adaptation of strong stories, attractive characters, and other characteristics. Conclusions: In conclusion, by implementing the strategies, Indonesia is able to increase oral health knowledge, particularly for elementary school-aged stunted children.