[Oral Health #6] Community School Dental Health Programs.

Hello Steemers!!!
Hope you are fit and Sound. Today i am going to share with you guys the dental health programs held at community schools.
The School Dental Health Program includes the dental check-ups, Imparting Dental Health Education, and Small Dental Procedures along with Flouride supplements.

These School Dental Programs were conducted two months back in Community Schools of far flung Villages located on the foot of mountains.

It was an amazing experience which not only made us aware about the dental statistics of the area but we also cherished the pure atmosphere.
So what and how exactly are the Dental Camps held at various schools? Lets begin the journey then!!
I with some other Dentists and Physicians had this idea of Giving back the Community by helping the most deprived section of the community. We were a total of 6 dentists, 3 physicians,and 1 chemist. We prepared a plan for about a fortnight from a tight schedule of day to day life. After Conducting a proper survey as which area to choose, we sent a proper visiting letter to different schools of those regions with proper timings for Our Dental Visits. The Program was sponsored (accommodation and travel expenses) by a Local Chemist and Diagnostic Lab Centre (who provided some costly Tests for free as well). Who knew that these coming days were going to be my lifetime experience.

What did we do at the Schools?

After reaching the School, we would ask the Principal of the School to announce among the Children about the Program and what we are gonna be doing.
Then we would call the Students Classwise to first get their name registered and afterwards go for Dental Check-Up.

Dental Check-Up!

The Dental Check up comprised of:

• Type of Dental Stage (Milk teeth, Mixed or Permenant Teeth)
• Number of Teeth
• Missing Teeth
• Carious Teeth
• Tartar and Plaque
• Any other Anomaly of teeth or Oral Cavity.
• Dental History of
  • Any Harmful Oral Habit.
  • Brushing Habits
  • Brushing Technique
    

The Dental Check up would follow the Small Procedure like Filling the Small Caries, Removing Tartar (Hand Scaling) in many cases and providing the necessary required fluoride treatments.

The Students would line up in a queue waiting for their turn. Sometimes it was hard to keep everyone in control (stubborn/Problem child 😉), But somehow with the help of teachers we succeed.
One Dentist would Check the Oral Cavity while Other dentist would write the Same findings for the record.
The physicians worked individually, and a Chemist would giveaway the required medicines and do the Tests.

The Dental Procedures

The Dental Procedures which would take less time and minimun instrumentation were done. These included the Small Caries Filling with Glass Fill (GIC) and Scaling along with the Flouride Treatment (when required).
The Filling procedure is known to be ART (Atraumatic Restorative Treatment).
Scaling was done in the students when there was heavy tartar and it was done with Hand Scalers.
Flouride treatments was given to the patients when it was indicated that one needed flouride supplement for the teeth.

The Dental Education

After the Dental Check up and treatments were done, all the Students were summoned in a ground or a Hall. Several Video animations were shown describing good food habits, proper brushing technique, harmful habits, etc.
A lecture was also delivered regarding various aspects of oral health and overall health like Handwashing. QA section was conducted and Even Teachers were educated about the dental health regarding their students.

This would conclude the dental Camp in a School. A school would be finished in two or three days and around 5 schools were visited during the Program which estimated nearly 1500 students.

Overall Experience

The Dental School Program became a means of Outing and Excursion for us all as the Schools were located among beautiful mountains and meadows. The Experience of this trip was Lifetime. We encountered with many unique cases and the Love of the Locality was overwhelming. They had warm hearts for Everyone of us. The fortnight, although much workload, seemed like a blink of Time.
Everyone of us was happy with this trip and Hoping for such more time and Programs in future.
While Leaving after the completion of Program, local folks walked us with wet eyes.

I hope i get such experience once again and i will be looking for my free schedule to arrange another such event.

Till then...

Have you read my Last post on Mercury in Amalgam Fillings and its Health Concerns

Steem On!!!

MAY THE STEEM BE WITH US

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