Community Engagement
In continuation to the Civic-Engagement Program of the Department of Community Dentistry, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi collaborated with the KONPAL- Child Abuse Prevention Society and involved the community for the promotion of oral healthcare of mother and children.
The project included volunteering students of the School of Dental Care Professionals of DUHS. The collaborative team consisting of Dental Hygienists from the School of Dental Care Professionals, Dentists and Dental House Officers from the Dow International Dental College and other medical volunteering team arranged by the KONPAL. They visited the Long Khoso Village, Hyderabad on 13th March 2022.
The prime purpose of the camp was to promote healthy oral hygiene habits among the villagers. Our dental team comprising of 13 members under the guidance and supervision of Prof. Dr. Ambrina Qureshi performed the oral/ dental examination of the village residents, particularly the children. They were asked about their oral hygiene habits including tool and frequency for cleaning teeth, consumption of milk and sugary food and the use of tobacco or any other abusive substances.
Out of 145 children between age 6 months to 16 years who were examined, majority (more than 65%) were found with hypoplastic tooth structure that was suspected of fluorosis. Upon further investigation it was found that despite every home have at least one cow/ buffalo, the children were kept devoid of milk-intake and sufficient nutrition that indicated the hypoplastic teeth to be most likely related to mal-nutrition.
The fathers were educated about their wives and their children appropriate intake of nutritious food and in the end, they were taught of proper brushing and given oral hygiene instructions. Tooth care kits containing toothbrush and a paste along with chart were distributed among the villagers. The volunteering team of dental students and dental hygienists demonstrated and guided the villagers about correct method of toothbrushing technique and amount of toothpaste to be dispensed using models and live demos. It was then followed by hands-on where children in the presence of their fathers participated in the exercise and brushed their teeth themselves.
Our students faced challenges pertinent to language barrier the reason being the villagers spoke local language (Sindhi) and did not understand the national language (Urdu). However, they were very enthusiastic, welcoming eager to learn about their health concerns and celebrated the visit in their own traditional way.
Target achievements and sustainability:
SDG- 3 (Good health and well-being) through disease prevention and promotion of better oral health
SDG- 17 (Partnership for the goals) through trans – institutional collaboration, students’ partnership during training and learning, capacity building and shared resources