Supporting global hands for better oral healthcare

The final-year oral hygiene and dental therapy students of the Discipline of Dentistry at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) will conduct a campaign to educate and raise awareness of the importance of oral health promotion. Given the theme for 2025 is “A Happy Mouth is... A Happy Mind,” students will be educating dental patients on how to take care of their oral cavity while addressing issues that may affect their mental health through patient counselling. 

Two sites have been selected for this campaign which include King DinuZulu Hospital Complex (a public healthcare institution in KwaZulu-Natal) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville campus). The target stakeholders include children, teenagers, students, adults, hospital staff and management, lecturers, academic support staff and geriatric patients. Students will set up educational tables at each department, provide oral health talks, conduct screenings, book patients to the dental department, and hand out oral hygiene samples to maintain a healthy smile.  The following departments will be targeted and reached out to on this day: 

• Psychiatric Ward
• Paediatric Ward
• Occupational therapy and Physio department
• Pharmacy
• Reception
• Dental
• University campus 

Through this initiative and joining hands in commemorating World Oral Health Day, this campaign will be sustained through regular enforcement of oral hygiene education and instructions followed by school outreach programmes, including in-service screening of paediatric patients at the training hospital.