KARACHI - The Department of Community & Preventive Dentistry, Ziauddin College of Dentistry Ziauddin University organized an oral health outreach program for the students of second year BDS to “Kainaat Public School”, Sikandrabad, Karachi.
The trip was headed by Dr. Sidra Mohiuddin (Assistant Professor) along with lecturers of the department Dr.Khizra Rehman, Dr.Abeeha Zaidi and Dr.Asfand Yar. During the visit dental checkups were performed by second year BDS students under the supervision of senior faculty.
The aim of these community outreaches is to spread oral health knowledge and maintenance of oral hygiene among schoolchildren and school teachers belonging to underprivileged areas in order to reduce oral health inequalities.
A total of 460 school children, aged 5 – 15years were examined and addressed. The examination session was followed by an interactive lecture by Dr.Sidra Mohiuddin, with the students on oral health knowledge and healthy eating practices, as consumption of betel nut along with its variants is the common practice among school going children of this locality. After the examination session proper brushing techniques were also demonstrated on tooth models to the children in small groups.
In addition to reducing oral health inequalities the goal of the community dentistry department is to train second year students about dealing with the community, and enhance their communication skills. The visit was concluded after distribution of oral hygiene kits among the students, sponsored by Colgate Palmolive.
