Qatar's PHCC Launches Oral and Dental Health Program for All Educational Levels

Doha, April 22 (QNA) - Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) lunched a school-based oral and dental health program 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 program, 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 sensitization of parents on the oral health status of their children. Head of the program Najat Al Yafei said, "My teeth" trial program 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. According to a press release, Al Yafei stated that the trial program results showed that a large number of school students had a dental decay rate of 82 percent, while 37 percent 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 6 teeth, which is very high and about 80 percent of students needed a therapeutic intervention for their teeth. The new oral and dental health program will be implemented from the beginning of the next school year, 2018-2019, targeting kindergartens and schools through receiving kindergarten students in health centers for the "My teeth" program, while a medical cadre the dental program consisting of dentists and oral and dental hygienists will visit government elementary schools via mobile dental clinics. My teeth program for the first phase will include 2018-2019 kindergartens and primary schools and then progressively cover all levels of school in the coming years. (QNA)