KARACHI: To spread oral hygiene awareness, the Department of Community Dentistry, Dow Dental College (DDC), arranged a field trip to Malala School.
Under the supervision of Dr Muhammad Taqi, Dr Adnan Sukkarwallah, Dr Mona Shah, Dr Babar Zia and Dr Amber Saeed, forty-eight third-year dental students from DDC visited Malala School: a primary school of girls in Karachi.
This visit aimed to screen and spread oral hygiene awareness among children aged 9-14 years. One hundred nineteen school children from (class III- class VIII) received intra-oral examination, and their following dental disease profile including; dental caries, staining, and calculus, were documented.
The children were educated on developing healthy oral hygiene practices such as regular dental checkups, tooth brushing and flossing, and correct techniques. They were also educated on the importance and correct hand hygiene techniques, especially in the COVID pandemic.
The dental students also discussed the impact of a healthy diet and its co-relation to oral and subsequent systemic disease.
Lastly, the department distributed a dental kit containing a toothbrush, toothpaste and a brushing chart to each child to encourage the development of healthy oral practices.