Children with disabilities are at higher risk for tooth decay and other oral health problems than children without disabilities. Meeting their oral health care requirements can be a difficult task not only for them but for their caregivers.
KARACHI: A community trip was organised by Department of Community Dentistry Baqai Dental College to ‘Quaid-e-Azam Rangers School (Special children), Super Highway Karachi’.
This visit was headed by Prof Dr Asghar Ali Shigri (HOD) along with other Assistant Professors, Dr Samreen Mazher, Dr Mahwish Bano, Dr Raza Abbidi, Dr Wajiha Anzar, and 2nd year BDS students.
The Principal and Vice Principal of the school welcomed the faculty members and 2nd year BDS students. The purpose of this visit was to increase awareness of 2nd year students about oral health conditions and associated factors in children with special needs. Total strength of the school was approximately 230, this included children with Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, blindness and deafness.
This session commenced by inviting the students along with their trainers to walk to seminar room, where they were given a presentation that covered topics like oral diseases, healthy food, the importance of fluoride, oral hygiene measures, and proper positioning of the toothbrush through series of pictures that showed structured method and techniques of tooth brushing.
Since, they need extra health services and support hence proper training was given on models to their instructors as well.
Later on, the BDS students divided themselves into groups and visited the class one by one to perform oral screening of the school children. Common findings were dental caries, bruxism, dental trauma, other oral anomalies, malocclusion, and delayed eruption. The entire event concluded with a group picture of school children and faculty members.