Karmaveer Bhausaheb Hiray Dental College & Hospital, Nashik

The department of Public Health Dentistry is a branch of dentistry which deals in dental disease among the community and treats community as a patient rather than individual. The department provides dental heath care delivery in rural outreach (tribal) areas, by the means of dental camps, awareness programmes, dental health education and treatment camps.

We are actively involved in school dental health programmes by regularly conducting dental checkups and health education. The department, has a well equipped mobile dental van which is used for outreach programmes, especially for underprivileged people, mentally retarded, physically handicapped, orphan children and elderly people.

The department also trains students and interns in research metholodology which helps them to solve various community dental health problems.

Scope

The science of Dental Public health is concerned with

• Making a diagnosis of dental problem
• Establishing the causes and effects of dental problems and
• Planning effective intervention for prevention , control and treatment of disease

Vision

The dental public Health field has been expanding in scope & complexity with more emphasis being placed on the total dental care delivery system & its impact on Oral Health Status. The goal of the Community dentistry is to provide basic & advanced Health promotion to an individual and group of people.

Keeping this in view, Dept is developing strategies to provide preventive treatments to young children through schools, dental health awareness and treatment to rural and urban population and to generate dental professionals highly skilled in preventive and comprehensive dental care.

Overview of procedures

A) Outreach Programs

The department of Public Health Dentistry is conducting out-reach programs and epidemiology based research in addition to academic activity.

Dental Treatment Camps

The department of Public Health Dentistry has a fully equipped , Air conditioned, Mobile Dental Hospital with one dental chair, Dental Xray Machine, Autoclave, Ultrasonic etc. The dedicated team of professionals conduct regular out-reach programs to rural areas and unprivileged urban areas where in basic dental care is provided at the doorstep .

Dental Screening Camps

Regular screening camps are organized to identify the budeon of dental diseases. The patients in need of treatment are provided possible basic dental care . For advanced treatment patient is referred to the college and treated at concessional rates.

Dental Health Education Camps

Demonstration of proper brushing technique to the patients with the help of models, oral hygiene instructions to the patients , knowledge about various common dental disease and their prevention and need of treatment is with the help of charts , pamphlets , booklets and PowerPoint presentations.

B) School Dental Health Programs

Includes procedures like Dental check ups, preventive procedures like topical fluorides, dental health education, treatment procedures like ART, extractions , fillings etc.

C) Community Awareness Campaigns

Anti AIDS Day Celebration : AIDS awareness Ralley , Awareness of public with the help of Pamphlets, Audiovisual Films, posters and charts providing information on AIDS.

No Tobacco Day Celebration : Awareness about harmful effects of tobacco, way to quit the habit.

WHO Day Celebration, Dentist’s Day Celebration, Oral Health Week Celebration : dental health awareness programs are carried out.

D) Participation in School Dental Health Program 2010-11 under National Rural Health Mission

Training given to medical officers from rural areas participating in School Dental Health Program 2010-11 about dental diseases .

E) Research Activities

The Interns are trained to conduct epidemiological studies and research projects under the guidance of staff members. The studies focus mainly on assessing the disease burdeon on the population , knowledge and awareness about oral health , identifying causes of disease etc. Till date more than hundred (approx.) such projects have been conducted by the Dept.