ORAL HEALTH! The focus, the ultimate goal of Indian Dental Association’s entire workforce! To achieve it, they organise activities, programmes, lectures, publish magazines etc. But is it enough to meet the requirements of the Indian population?
We believe a LOT needs to be done! To begin with, the oral problems are tackled in two ways: creating awareness -Community Education Programmes and providing resources (especially for those with little or no access of facilities)- Community Services.
To facilitate these services, IDA is always in need of volunteers from all strata of society. Especially those in dental and allied professions, public and administrative services, etc.
We cordially invite YOU to participate in our venture to achieve maximum healthy oral cavities.
Join The Force!! OR Chip-in To Change!!IDA Community Dental Centres are structured to the maximum population. Thus it is mainly divided into two zones-
Look after the day-to-day administration and planning. Also look into the needs of people from different sections of the society in oral care.
These offices thus form the centre of coordination for the numerous activities that are carried out the umbrella of IDA.
To quote an example of such activities:
Dental Chairs forms the basic commodity to carry out the dental procedures, in view of this requirement, IDA installed dental chairs in old age and orphanages to provide the necessary infrastructure for dental care. One of the beneficiary of such donations has been the Anand Van one of Baba Amte’s social organisations. These and many more create a convenience to the patient as well as the dentist.
The act also instils a sense of responsibility and inspires them to provide the best dental services with the little means available.
Such and many more social ventures are taken up by IDA provide access to basic facilities to the under privileged.
Similarly, there are many dental treatment centres like the IDA Danta Bhavan to provide access to oral health for the underprivileged sections of the society.
One of the largest Oral Health initiatives, The All India Dental Wellness Initiative, under which IDA had Organised and conducted oral health camps.
The banner has been launched in alliance with Anchor in January 2006. Under this project dental camps comprising oral health screening, education on the same and self-identification of oral diseases, etc. are conducted.
This initiative was the biggest oral health project undertaken at the national level.
Apart from this national level initiative, there are multiple camps that are undertaken at state,district and local levels.
Thus, under the banner of IDA Oral Health Camps Banner there are multitude of camps that are undertaken thus making access to oral health to our country men much easily accessible.
A social venture to meet the requisites in dental care of the needy! The project is aimed to encourage the needy to develop oral hygiene and treatments. The venture an initiative by IDA Karnataka received immense support from various groups:
IDA will be ever grateful to the companies who contributed generously to materialise the venture effectively.
Basic oral health care! A facility inaccessible to many in our developing country!
What do they do? How do they manage? Ignoring the problem becomes the most acceptable solution in the circumstances. Rising general health problems then becomes their future!
Should they be deprived of the basic oral health facilities? IDA ideology is to offer the possible treatment for this class. It is obviously not possible without the support of generous sponsors and volunteers. IDA consistently appeals to its members to contribute in both aspects.
The treatments conducted in the camps include:
It includes using basic hand tools to carry out basic restorative procedures. These include excavation of caries and restoring teeth with dental cement. These require minimal resources and basic dental expertise.
Scaling of teeth, simple extractions of severely compromised teeth are some procedures carried out. Oral health education comprising oral hygiene and tobacco mal effects are also provided at the same time.
These temporary dental programmes are organised in camps or dental vans equipped with oral health treatment needs.
‘Children of a Lesser God’ – a class of kids that lead a hand-to-mouth existence. Thousands lie strewn in the streets of Indian cities and many more in the rural, inaccessible regions. Maintenance of general health for this class is their last concern, leave alone the oral health care! These are the children who fall prey to unhealthy habits of tobacco consumption coupled with lack of basic oral hygiene. These form a part of the future Indian society. Creating awareness on oral hygiene, providing dental facilities and tools inaccessible to them forms the core of the community work for them.
IDA believes in taking up the cause for these underprivileged children!
With the help of valuable sponsors and volunteers, it has initiated services in creating awareness campaigns on oral hygiene. Services also include distributing basic tools like toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. to maintain oral hygiene.
Again ‘Children of a Lesser God’ – the section of kids though mentally handicap have equal or more oral concerns as normal children. The difference is they are most of the times unable to co-operate and communicate their problems effectively. This leaves their guardians with one crucial option - to pursue oral hygiene as a preventive measure.
Training into oral hygiene, identifying symptoms of oral problems at an early stage, enhancing resistance of body are some of the areas to be focused on for this group of children. IDA has identified these core areas and focused its campaigns through its programmes specially organised keeping them in mind.
Providing free check up and treatment for these special children is the need of present times. The organisation has plans ready to take off, though getting sponsors has always been a problem. The concept of free Dental Clinic for mentally handicapped children is in its nascent stage.
The presence of a sponsor can give immense publicity to the company as well as take care of the dental problems of these special children.
Senior Citizens! Considered retired from work life as well as from the society! Their health needs especially oral need attention believes the IDA community. Thus it forms a crucial part of its commune work.
IDA believes the most common oral problem the elderly face is loss of teeth. The impact is visible in their general health and appearance. The remedy to the problem is replacement of the natural tooth with artificial teeth.
A free denture programme ‘Prethyasha’ has been launched by IDA to serve this group of people. Under the venture the poor and needy are provided with free dentures as well as free information on their use and care.
P.S. Prethyasha has been a brainchild Man of the Council of Dental Health, IDA, HO, headed by its Chairman Dr. N. S. Nigam, Dr. M. C. Mohan, President and Dr. Ashok Dhoble, Hon. Secretary General. The programme was launched on Gandhi Jayanti as a tribute to the father of the Nation.
IDA/CDH consistently appeals its skilled members to volunteer for such community ventures.
