MOPH Organizes Second Awareness Seminar On Oral Health Care For Elderly

Doha, June 04 (QNA) - The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), in cooperation with its partners in the health sector, organized the second seminar of a series of awareness seminars on oral health care for the elderly, targeting doctors, dentists, dental assistants, and nurses as part of efforts to intensify awareness about oral and dental health in Qatar. Several doctors from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) gave various lectures during the seminar focusing on the importance of maintaining oral and dental health for the elderly as it enhances their general health. The participants in the seminar were introduced to the importance of oral health care for the elderly through patient-centered health care and the need for cooperation between doctors, nurses, dentists and other medical specialties as a single work team to obtain the best results concerning oral health for this important segment of society. MOPH Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Department, Dr. Kholoud Al Mutawa, said the seminar included important awareness lectures targeting the medical and paramedical staff who deal directly with the elderly working in the public and private sectors to raise awareness and intensify efforts to care for the health of the mouth and teeth of the elderly in line with the special care provided by the health sector for this group in society within the MOPH commitment to provide an appropriate health service for each individual in society according to his situation. She added that periodic seminars would be organized four times a year to maximize the benefit of the medical staff, especially after the success of the first seminar held in March in achieving its objectives. Dr. Wafaa Al Mulla, an oral and dental health specialist at MOPH and director of the seminar, stressed the importance of focusing on oral care and paying attention to the dental health of the elderly, especially those who wear full or partial dentures and other various oral devices that the elderly may need. She highlighted the relationship between the oral health of the elderly and the incidence of some common diseases such as diabetes and other diseases. The seminar shed light on the latest scientific developments related to treating oral and dental diseases in the elderly, ways to make medical referrals between different specialties when needed and explained the relationship of oral health to the elderly and some common diseases. It also reviewed the HMC's efforts to provide healthcare services to the elderly, including oral and dental treatment and the various specialties related to this category. It reviewed PHCC's efforts to provide oral and dental health services, which the Corporation provides to the elderly through joint cooperation between all its medical specialties. (QNA)