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Community services are services designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals or to solve particular problems related to their needs. In thie context, the ultimate goal of the entire workforce of the Indian Dental Association (IDA)
is to achieve optimal oral health of the nation by 2020. This is done mostly through
identifying disparities in health and barriers to achieving optimal oral health.
These issues are then addressed through a measurable, systematic approach.
Therefore there is need of volunteers for spreading awareness prevent disease by
oral hygiene. Over the years evidence based
"Information" on oral health has accumulated in the country but this is largely
confined to dental clinics and hospitals. The challenge is that
the available information must be put into practice at every home/family. It is
the information which can promote/improve the oral health of millions of young children,
school children, adolescents and adults as also pregnant women and elderly people,
provided it gets communicated.
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IDA Community Dental Centres |
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IDA Community Dental Centres are structured to benefit the maximum population. Thus
it is mainly divided into two zones-
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IDA Head Office and state branches |
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The above mentioned offices offer a balanced approach for oral health care interventions plus day-to-day administration
and planning. Thus they form the centre of co-ordination
for the numerous activities that
are carried out under the umbrella of IDA.
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To quote an example of such activities: |
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Dental Chairs are used to carry out the dental procedures. These have been
installed by IDA in old age homes and orphanages to provide
the necessary infrastructure for oral health 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 convenience to the patient as well as the dentist. This act also instils a sense of responsibility to provide the
best dental services.
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IDA has undertaken many social initiative in order to provide basic facilities
to the under privileged.
Similarly, the IDA Dant Bhavan provides services for the underprivileged sections of the society. |
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Oral Health Camps |
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IDA Organises and conductes oral health camps under the All India Dental Wellness Initiative, undertaken in aliance with Anchor.
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Under this project dental camps for oral health screening, education about self-
identification of oral diseases, etc. were conducted.
This initiative was the biggest oral health project undertaken at the national level.
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Apart from this national level initiative, there are multiple camps that are undertaken
at state, district and local levels to give interceptive and curative treatment
to the people at their doorstep.
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IDA Dant Bhavan
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This is a social venture to meet the requisites in dental care. The project
is aimed to develop oral hygiene and treatments for the needy. The venture, an initiative
by IDA Karnataka, receives immense support from various groups:
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- A dental clinic by Dr. N. K. Doctor of Novo Dental Company.
- A unit by Confidential Dental Equipment.
- Rs. 2.5 million from MicroLabs.
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Dental Treatment Camps
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Dental camps are held to improve oral health by improving general health and well
being of the community there by in essence improve the quality of life and develop
healthy life styles (brushing, eating protective foods, avoiding smoking and pan
chewing etc.) in children, adolescents, adults and senior citizens.
In these dental camps services of different sectors coverge
to mitigate the dental problems (dental decay, periodontal disease, oral cancers
and malocclusion).
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The treatments conducted in the camps include: |
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Atraumatic Restorative Treatment
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Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) is a procedure for preventing and treating
dental carries using hand instruments and adhesive filling materials.
This does not require electricity or anesthesia and may be performed in the field by
trained dental professionals or non-dental personnel.
This proposes the less professional intervention for oral health care. The effort
is to make patients responsible for certain actions to improve
their standards of oral hygiene, dietary habits, regular visits to a dental office,
etc. Dentists should motivate and guide their patients with appropriate information
and providing evidence-based treatment options to solve a variety of situations.
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Using this background, Minimally Invasive Dentistry (also minimum intervention dentistry
- MID) builds its framework over three main principles: 1) Early diagnosis and assessment
of caries risk factors; 2) Maximum tissue preservation and 3) Minimally surgical
intervention need.
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Some procedures carried out under ART are scaling of teeth, simple extractions of severely compromised teeth. Oral health education comprising oral hygiene and cessation advice for tabacco are also provided at the same time.
These temporary dental programmes are organised in camps or dental vans equipped
with oral health treatment needs. |
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Dental Services |
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Children |
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Underprivileged children |
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Children’s oral health is easily maintained with routine preventive care. But common
problems such as decay become debilitating when left untreated. Untreated tooth
decay is progressive and can undermine children’s long-term health, educational
achievements, self image and overall success.
But underprivileged children suffer from tooth decay due to lack of access to care,
lack of awareness about the importance of good oral health. Children with extensive
untreated tooth decay, physical/learning disabilities or medical conditions
suffer from other health problems as they lead a hand-to-mouth existence. Maintenance
of general health for this class is their last concern; leave alone the oral health
care. They fall prey to unhealthy habits of tobacco consumption coupled with lack
of basic oral hygiene. Creating awareness on oral hygiene, providing dental facilities
and tools inaccessible to them forms the core of the community work .
IDA aims to provide optimal oral health for these kids with the help of valuable
sponsors and volunteers. Services also include distributing basic tools like toothbrush,
toothpaste, etc. to maintain oral hygiene.
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Mentally Handicapped Children
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Oral health is an important aspect of health for all children and is all the more
important for children with special health needs. It has strong biological, psychological and social projections because oral hygiene affects one’s
esthetics and communication.
Children with disabilities deserve the same opportunities for oral
health and hygiene as those who are healthy. Unfortunately, oral health care is
one of the greatest unattended health needs of the disabled people.
Challenges to oral health are more complex for disabled children, who are often
unable to adequately apply the techniques necessary to control plaque. In many instances,
a disabled child’s oral hygiene care becomes the responsibility of another person,
generally a parent or guardian, many of whom are emotionally or intellectually incapable
of dealing with the health problems of their less fortunate affiliates. This needs
training for the care-giver.
Providing free check up and treatment for these special children is currently needed.
IDA has plans for these in pipeline. The concept of free Dental Clinic for mentally handicapped
children is in its nascent stage.
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Elderly |
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Oral health is an important and often overlooked component of an older person’s
general health and well-being. They have difficulty in accessing or accepting care
in general dental services, including adults with moderate and severe learning/physical
disabilities or mental health problems. Oral health problems can cause pain and
suffering as well as difficulty in speaking, chewing and swallowing. These can be a complication of certain medications used to treat systemic diseases.
Their health needs, especially oral health need attention, thus it forms a crucial
part of its community service.
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Prethyasha Free Denture Services |
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A free denture programme ‘Prethyasha’ has been launched by IDA to serve the under
prevelidged class. Under the venture the poor and needy are provided with free dentures
as well as free information on their use and care.
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P.S.Prethyasha has been a brainchild of 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.
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IDA/CDH consistently appeals to its skilled members to volunteer for such community
ventures.
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