Dental Month celebrated
For the first time, pupils, parents, teachers, dentists, nurses, and barangay officials gathered together at Sison Elementary School in Maitum, Sarangani, to celebrate the 13th National Dental Health Month (NDHM).
Schoolchildren from Kinder to Grade 6 participated in tooth brushing drills and dental check-ups while others availed of free tooth extraction services provided by dentists from the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) based in the province.
Sarangani Provincial Dentist Dr. Laudencio Mendoza urged teachers and school heads to continue their support in promoting dental health among pupils, adding that dental problems impact children’s learning in school.
“Children often skip school because of dental issues like toothaches and because of that, they miss learning opportunities. If they learn how to take care of their teeth, there will be lesser chances of them missing school,” Mendoza said.
School nurses from the province held a Parent Education Session (PES) regarding oral health for children.
“Our records show that dental caries remains to be on top of the list of most common ailments among school children. That is why we also have to educate the parents as to how to take care of their oral health. After all, they have a big role in ensuring that their children brush their teeth when they are at home,” said Estylinda Tudayang, one of the nurses.
Sison Elementary School, with the help of a child-oriented Non-Government Organization (NGO), has been implementing programs in order to address health and nutritional issues in the school, including promoting proper hand washing, maintaining vegetable garden, and implementing the “No Junk Food” policy in the canteen.
According to Clinic Teacher Liza dela Cuadra, all these programs collectively aim to lessen the health-related problems that pupils experience and to improve their learning quality in general.
“We are very thankful to our partner, Save the Children, because they have been helping us implement our programs. They helped us fix our water system in school, they provided us with a hand washing facility, and they support us in our school activities like this,” dela Cuadra said.
This year’s celebration bears the theme, “Ngiping Inaalagaan at Pinagyaman, Hatid ay Ngiting di Kukupas Kailanman”.