Dental health studies to be part of curriculum: DHA

Dubai - The project will be implemented in five phases.

Dental health studies will become part of school curriculums in Dubai by 2020, said a top official at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Dr Hamda Al Mesmar, director of dental services at the DHA, said that dental health will be taught as a subject in government and private schools. "Children will be taught about healthy brushing techniques and will be given oral health guidelines," she said.
The DHA showcased its city-wide dental and oral programme, 'DentOral', during the Arab Health exhibition. DentOral was launched last September with the aim of improving oral health in Dubai by ensuring all individuals have access to high quality dental treatments and effective prevention programmes.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 60 to 90 per cent of schoolchildren and nearly 100 per cent of adults have dental cavities. The most common oral and dental diseases include dental cavities, periodontal disease, tooth loss and oral cancer.
The authority has provided dental clinics with 3D printing technology, which has led to a real breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of oral and dental diseases.
Dr Hamda said the authority was able to reduce the prevalence of dental caries from 65.1 per cent in 2014 to 60.8 per cent in 2018 by launching 96 dental campaigns that focused on prevention, early access, treatment, clinical excellence and efficiency.
The project will be implemented in five phases. The outcomes include developing an integrated health promotion programme; developing a dental health screening framework in schools, maternity and in older adults; and conducting dental health needs assessment to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com