Bulletin Issue JULY 2020



Knowledge Exchange

Oral Health Webinar to NEC

Initiated by Dr Prasanna Neelakantan, Clinical Assistant Professor in Endodontics, the project “Dental Health - Gateway to Better General Health” was launched in 2017. Since then, the Faculty has been working hand-in-hand to empower NGO partners and provide free dental outreach services to the Non-Ethnic Chinese (NEC) community with the objective to improve their oral health condition.

Seven dental health fairs have been organised under this project, benefitting more than 2500 NEC either directly or indirectly. During the fairs, teachers and students from the Faculty of Dentistry provided basic dental care services including initial dental screening, fluoride application and oral health education.

Participants also received brochures in Urdu, Hindi and English highlighting oral care facilities in Hong Kong. This year, despite the uncertainty of the outreach dental services due to the pandemic, the Faculty continued to provide oral care support to the NEC community. On 23 June, an oral health zoom webinar was conducted in Urdu, Hindu and English, hosted by the Faculty, in collaboration with the India Association Hong Kong, Pakistan Association of Hong Kong and Health in Action at the Prince Philip Dental Hospital.

Speakers of the webinars included Dr Prasanna Neelakantan, alumnus Dr Abrar Khawaja, current student Ms Gunjan Gupta, and Ms Amrita Sanju Daryanani, Project Assistant; Ms Miriam Leung, Registered Pharmacist, and Ms Sushila Gurung, Health Ambassador of Health In Action; Ms Anita Gidumal, Vice President, The India Association Hong Kong and Mr Mehran Khan, The Pakistan Association of Hong Kong.

The webinar comprised topics on how people should better take care of their dental health; the role of the India Association HK and Pakistan Association HK in this project, an overview of involvement and expectations from the dental health fair projects; how to maintain better oral health self-care and demonstration of correct brushing and flossing technique. The webinar was concluded after an Q & A session.

Dr Prasanna presented certificates of appreciation to the speakers after the webinar. “It is apparent from our events that this community has pressing needs with regards to oral health needs and information dissemination on oral care. We are grateful to have the continued support from Health in Action, the India Association Hong Kong and the Pakistan Association of Hong Kong. Together, we are certain that the NEC community in Hong Kong can benefit from our services”, he said.


(Right to left): Ms Miriam Leung, Ms Sushila Gurung, Ms Amrita Sanju Daryanani, Ms Anita Gidumal and Mr Mehran Khan

 


Dr Prasanna Neelakantan (Right) and Ms Gunjan Gupta

 


Dr Prasanna Neelakantan is thankful to the speakers and coordinators

 

 
© 2020 Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong