Role of Dentists
Professional Involvement
In addition to parental support, professional involvement in the school programme is desirable. Dentists should be included in the oral health curriculum planning phases.
Professional input is valuable for
- Identifying teaching-learning resources;
- For speaking to students, faculty and parent groups;
- For teaching of faculty and administrators; and
- For aiding the school on occasions.
The support of the dental association enhances a programme's credibility, improves the image of the oral health professions, and is a practice builder for the participating dentists. A more consistent presence of the oral health professions throughout the academic year is needed to help strengthen school-community relationships.
The dentist will do the following:-- Conduct an oral health dental survey on students by asking them about their personal oral hygiene practices (e.g., brushing and flossing their teeth), diet,and beliefs about oral health.
- Add prompts to problem list (print or electronic records) that reminds him\her to pay special attention to student's oral health and provide appropriate education.
- Offer preventive oral health care services (e.g., fluoride varnish).
- Stress the importance of good oral hygiene, including brushing teeth with fluoridated toothpaste at least twice a day (in the morning and at night) and flossing at least once a day, preferably before brushing at night.
- Educate students what a healthy mouth looks like, how to recognize early signs of oral disease, and what can be done to reverse or treat oral disease.
- Encourage students to drink water throughout the day instead of sweetened beverages like sports drinks, fruit drinks, and cold drinks.
- Encourage students to wear seatbelts when riding in cars and mouth guards and other protective gear when participating in physical activities or sports such as biking, skateboarding, or in-line skating or when playing baseball, basketball, football, hockey, or soccer.
- Discourage students from obtaining oral piercings and wearing mouth jewellery that can result in chipped teeth and gum recession.