Sindh Institute of Oral Health Sciences Jinnah Sindh Medical University (SIOHS-JSMU) in collaboration with Dental News and Shield Pakistan celebrated World Oral Health Day on Wednesday. World Oral Health Day is celebrated annually on March 20. On this day, various oral hygienists and dentists use public forums to discuss and talk about dental care and educate people on achieving good oral hygiene and create awareness regarding different treatments.
Acting Vice Chancellor JSMU Professor Shahid Rasul appreciated the organizers of SIOHS-JSMU for celebrating Oral Health Day and said that despite long-term improvements in the field of dentistry, there are still unmet needs and small steps in the right direction can create a difference. Registrar JSMU Dr Azam Khan stressed the need to spread awareness regarding oral diseases, due to their increased prevalence in our community, which are a major public health issue with multiple medical consequences. While addressing the audience, Principal SIOHS-JSMU Professor Zubair Abbasi said that as surgeons, physicians, and in charge of the oral cavity, we have a huge responsibility to make sure and aim for a disease free mouth.
He further added that there are more than 200 diseases that can be diagnosed in the mouth, whether systematic or locally arising from the dental tissues. In his speech, Chairperson JSMU Student Council Professor S.M. Kefi Iqbal, Head of Department of Dental Material Sciences said that the students of SIOHS-JSMU learn from the best of the best faculty members in entire Pakistan. We groom our students to deal with the increasing ratio of oral diseases and create awareness regarding the harmful effects of eating irritants.
Faculty members from SIOHS-JSMU including Head of the Department of Community Dentistry Dr Marium Azfar delivered speeches on prevention technologies, along with Assistant Professor Dr Sibghat Ullah, Assistant Professor Oral Dr Rizwanullah. The event was supervised by Outreach Coordinator Dr Imran.
The event was followed by a cake-cutting ceremony and administrative heads and faculty members including, Head of Department of Biochemistry Professor Imrana, Controller Examination Dr Anita Shah, Qazi Shabbir, and others.
Earlier, awareness sessions were arranged at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) in collaboration with Dental News and Shield Pakistan. The opening speech at the ceremony was delivered by Registrar JSMU Dr Azam Khan and the session was conducted by the Department of Maxillofacial JPMC Dr Jehan Alam.
While the awareness seminar arranged at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) was in collaboration with Colgate Pakistan. The opening ceremony was hosted by Director NICH Dr Nasir Saleem Saddal, whereas In charge of Dental OPD NICH Dr Samra delivered a speech to raise global awareness on the prevention and control of oral diseases.
