On September 26, the Ba commune primary school, in the Dong Giang district of Quang Nam province, became unusually lively as students were offered free dental checkups and entertained with comedy sketches on tooth hygiene.
The event was organized by volunteer lecturers and students from the DTU College of Medicine & Pharmacy (CMP), in the Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology, and the Medical Simulation Center (MedSIM). The objective was to do the checkups and instruct the students on how to correctly brush their teeth to keep them strong, healthy and attractive.
Oral care for the students of the Ba commune primary school
After an arduous two-hour journey, the 6 DTU lecturers and 23 students reached the school. The DTU team performed comedy sketches to give the children an even better understanding of the importance of maintaining and protecting their teeth, and then showed them how to brush their teeth and maintain personal oral health. 219 of the 285 primary students received doses of silver diamine fluoride, SDF, a substance used in dentistry to halt and prevent an increase in cavities, 1,171 of which were detected. Finally, they presented presents to all the students, and to 40 of their teachers.
“We brought all the appropriate equipment to provide the children with safe dental care, including autoclaves to disinfect our tools and SDF to apply to the students’ teeth to alleviate cavities,” said Phan Ngoc Huyen from the K24YDR1 class.
“I’m very happy, because these types of activities give us the chance to share our knowledge on oral care with all. At the same time, we can also benefit from the additional practical experience we have gained today to increase our confidence as we prepare to start up our own clinical practices.”
A video clip of the “Nice Teeth at School” event, organized by DTU Odonto-Stomatology students
The DTU lecturers and students received a warm welcome from the excited teachers and children at the Ba commune primary school. “We’re highly impressed by the enthusiasm, dedication and confidence of the DTU team,” said the school Principal, Ms. Tran Thi Bich Ngoc. “This event has a high practical value and our students now have come to understand the harmful effects of junk food, the danger of cavities and how to clean their teeth correctly. I sincerely hope that other schools will benefit like we have from similar events.
DTU Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology lecturers and students at the Ba commune primary school
Previously, on August 8 and 9, the DTU Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology and the Medical Simulation Center held their first “Oral Health Day”, when Odonto-Stomatology students enjoyed assisting local dentists and their patients. All university staff, employees, lecturers and their families were offered checkups, advice, instructions on correct oral hygiene, and x-rayed to assess oral condition. Over the two days, the dentists removed calcium deposits, inserted cosmetic dental fillings, extracted bad teeth and applied SDF to children.
DTU Odonto-Stomatology students study in a dynamic environment, in laboratories and practice rooms with all the latest dentistry equipment. In addition, excursions like this allow them to hone their knowledge and practice for their future roles as highly skilled dentists in the community.
(Media Center)