Port Blair, Aug. 6: It has been the avowed goal of IDA (Indian Dental Association) to attain optimal oral health for all and the National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) is born out of IDA’s (Indian Dental Association) commitment to dental excellence. Oral health caused through apparent neglect, affect quality of life and have serious consequences on other parts of the body.

This programme combines preventive measures among school children, and focuses on primary prevention before its onset through comprehensive approach involving education , prevention and treatment.

The perception is ingrained in the Indian mindset is that oral health is not very much important as general health and its neglect is not likely to cause any harm to systemic health. This calls for an attitudinal change of people.

Oral health cards were given to children after proper diagnosis and they can approach any government hospital (dental Section) free of cost. Apart form Port Blair, NOHP was conducted in remote islands like Car Nicobar, Kamorta (tribal areas) Campbell Bay and other areas like Rangat, Mayabunder & Diglipur. These areas were chosen as poor accessibility acted as barriers to oral care. Children are more prone to tooth decay or gum disease and thus primary dental care is the way of achieving good oral health for the school children.

Dental check up was done by Dr. Vinod, Dr Rashmi Nair and Dr. P. Ravi Kumar who examined 155 students at Middle School Junglighat. Dr.Poonam Arora & Dr. P Shanti examined 45 students at GSS Dugnabad. In Rangat Dr Rachana Sanjeev Lal examined 165 students at Govt Sr. Sec School. At Mayabunder, Dr. Tripti Saha, examined 284 students at Govt Secondary School. In Diglipur Dr. Shalini Tiwari, examined 180 students at Govt. Model Sr. secondary school. In Car Nicobar Dr. Maxim Thomas, examined 44 students at Middle school Tamaloo. In Kamorta at govt model school Dr. Ruth Christofer, examined 76 students. In Campbel Bay Govt Sr. Sec. school Dr. Jharna Rao examined 208 students, and in Govt Girls Sr. Secondary School, Port Blair, Dr Sheela Kumari & Dr. Dinesh, examined 176 students. This is for the first time a total of 1,484 students were examined on a single day throughout A&N Islands by the Dental Surgeons.

The oral health status of each child and treatment plan proposed was recorded on the form and register as well and that data collected would then be analysed.

The ‘National Oral Health Programm’ in schools was jointly organised by IDA (Indian                                                                           Dental Association) Andaman Nicobar State branch in association with Directorate of health services, Directorate of Education, Inner wheel club and Rotary club of Port Blair.

In a message the President Rotary club of Port Blair, Rtn. Girish Arora said more programme have been chalked out in future to cover rural areas. While Dr. Poonam Arora, President IDA and Inner wheel said that IDA has plans to carry out more such activities on a larger scale.

Dr. Dinesh, General Secretary of IDA expressed sincere gratitude to Directorate of Health Services, Dr. Thulasidasan, Deputy Director (School Health), Directorate of Education, Dental Surgeons, Rotarians of Rotary club of Port Blair and members of Inner wheel club and the concerned principals of schools for their kind support and active cooperation for conducting this programme throughout A&N Islands on the same day by dental surgeons to enhance the oral health status as a part of the social commitment.