BEST PRACTICE I
‘BRIDGING CULTURES AND CRAFTING SMILES: PROMOTION OF ORAL HEALTH IN TRIBALS’
OBJECTIVES:
- To create health awareness among tribals
- To educate and motivate them to adopt healthy oral hygiene practices.
- To detect oral cancer/precancer lesions at the earliest.
- To provide treatment at the earliest to arrest dental disease.
- To replace missing teeth so they can eat and live healthy lives.
THE CONTEXT
The Western Ghats is home to several tribal communities. Despite several initiatives by State and Central governments, they don’t receive proper healthcare.
The third Sustainable Development Goal of the UN ‘Good health and wellbeing’ – demands to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages’
In this context, our College, situated at the foothills of the Ghats, took up the responsibility to promote oral health in a tribal colony.
THE PRACTICE
For getting access to promote oral healthcare in a tribal colony and to conduct various programs, an MoU was signed with the Promoter of Thalukandam Tribal Settlement Idamalayar colony.
The College provides the following services:
- Engage with the community elders to understand their priorities and perspectives regarding oral health in order to implement programs appropriate for their community needs.
- To educate them with oral health and diet modifications.
- To teach proper brushing technique
- To promote tobacco and alcohol cessation
- To detect oral lesions at the earliest
- To provide dental treatments which include:
- Oral prophylaxis – to improve gum health.
- Dental restorations – to remove disease and arrest its progression enabling the tooth to remain functional.
- Extraction of teeth – if tooth is beyond repair
- Any advanced treatment, if needed, will be provided in the college
EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS
The activities conducted in the tribal colony have yielded the following successes.
- With proper support and efficient strategies, people in the colony showed their preparedness to associate with the college and their willingness to visit the college for advanced treatments.
- Free treatments are given and they are motivated to take care of their oral health.
- Due to proper awareness programs and personal interactions, many have stopped their habit of chewing paan, smoking and alcoholism.
- They are screened for regular cavities as well as precancerous and cancerous lesions. As an incentive, they are provided with a free dental kit to encourage them to take better care of their teeth.
- Thus they are motivated and show aspiration for greater progress and wellbeing of their oral health.
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND RESOURCES REQUIRED
- As the tribal colony is situated in a remote area and the road conditions leading to the colony is very narrow, it is difficult for the Mobile Dental Van to reach there, so the Healthcare professionals have to walk on occasion or travel by jeep.
- Some of the tribals are reluctant to interact with the people outside their community. They are sensitive to their customs and culture, so even a small change in their life style is least entertained. Dealing with them have to be done with sensitivity, empathy and care to win them over
