PHCC launches oral and dental health programme for students

Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) lunched a school-based oral and dental health programme to accommodate all students at various levels of government education, (kindergartens, elementary, preparatory and secondary schools) in order to promote the principle of ‘prevention better than cure’ within the framework of the National Strategy to health.The new programme, named “My teeth”, aims to provide educational and awareness-raising information on how to prevent oral and dental diseases to school and kindergarten students in a streamlined manner in addition to a full dental examination and provision of preventive treatment in schools including the provision of fluoride protective fillings, as well as the involvement and sensitisation of parents on the oral health status of their children.Najat al-Yafei, head of the programme, said, “My teeth” trial programme was wrapped up at PHCC last February and March where two schools where included, where both of them were primary schools including about 700 students. In a statement, al-Yafei said that the trial programme results showed that a large number of school students had a dental decay rate of 82%, while 37% of students have lost one or more years due to tooth decay, while the average number of teeth affected by the decay of the students examined was six teeth, which is very high and about 80% of students needed a therapeutic intervention for their teeth.The new oral and dental health programme will be implemented from the beginning of the next school year, 2018-2019, targeting kindergartens and schools through receiving kindergarten students in health centres for the “My teeth” programme, while a medical cadre the dental programme consisting of dentists and oral and dental hygienists will visit government elementary schools via mobile dental clinics.The programme, for the first phase, will be included in kindergartens and primary schools in 2018-2019 and then progressively cover all levels of school in the coming years. (QNA)