Dental hygiene plan effective in schools

The incidence of tooth decay in students has declined 10 per cent, and awareness of dental hygiene has shot up 80 per cent since the Sharjah Oral Health project was launched in 1995.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Assistant Under-secretary, Ministry of Health, and Director, Sharjah Medical District, said yesterday: "The project today covers 85,000 children and students until the age of 13 in Sharjah's public and private schools."

Sheikh Mohammed was unveiling plans to stage the eighth Oral Health exhibition and festival on April 27.

He pointed out that the project initially started as a preventive campaign, with its scope having been expanded in the sixth year to include treatment with the launch of the ART (atraumatic restorative treatment) project.

Dr Yassin Makki, project director, explained ART included fillings for teeth with dental caries, and sealants for normal teeth displaying irregular growth.

"To date, we have done 3,873 fillings and 4,622 sealants by our third year of operation," he said.

Dr Raghda Mohammed at the centre added the eighth festival would be held at the Cultural Palace, and would include an exhibition of student posters and a public performance by students.

The event, to be attended by senior state officials and representatives from the education and health departments, will be simultaneously held at Khor Fakkan, Kalba and Dibba Al Husn, she said.

Meanwhile, Imad Abdullah of Zulal Water Factory, added that his company hoped to supply all the drinking water needs of 68 schools in Sharjah from the next academic year, together with coolers, for virtually every classroom.