World Oral Health Day 2019 by Peradeniya University

The Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya (UoP), marked World Oral Health (WOH) Day 2019 last week, in collaboration with the Presidential Task Force ( PTF) on Drug Prevention, Centre for Research in Oral Cancer, Oral Health Unit of the Central Province Office of The Regional Director of Health Services, and the Sri Lanka Army.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the Prof K. Bambaradeniya Auditorium of the Faculty, with UoP Vice Chancellor ( VC) Prof Upul B. Dissanayake, Deputy VC Prof S.H.P.P. Karunartne, Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Dr J.A.V.P Jayasinghe, and Deputy Regional Director of Health Services, Dr (Ms) Niranji Wijesooriya and other distinguished guests. Certificates for the winners of the Art competition held for schoolchildren and Oral Health booklet designing competition held for Dental undergraduates to mark WOH Day were also awarded at this event.

An awareness programme on Oral Healthcare was held at the same

premises with the participation of more than 150 school teachers from the Kandy District.

Two skits by the Dental undergraduates were also staged to enhance awareness among teachers, on Oral Cancer and Dental Caries .

In addition, the Faculty has organized a mobile Exhibition Bus in collaboration with the PTF on Drug Prevention to educate schoolchildren on early detection of Oral diseases, including Oral Cancer, their prevention and treatment strategies. After the inaugural opening of the Exhibition Bus by the UoP VC, it was exhibited at Girls High School, Kandy. Many schoolchildren from Girls High School, Dharmawickrema Balika Vi d y a l a y a , and Viharamahadevi College attended the mobile exhibition.

Furthermore, four Oral Health screening programmes were also conducted using mobile Oral screening units near Dalada Maligawa, Goodshed Bus Stand, Katugastota Fair and Kandy Central Market. Dental doctors from the Health Ministry as well as Lecturers and final year students from the Faculty of Dental Sciences participated in the screening programme.

Two street dramas, one by the undergraduates of the Faculty of Dental Sciences and the other by the Office of The Regional Director of Health Services, were also staged at the Faculty premises and at Girls High School Kandy to increase awareness of Oral diseases, especially Oral Cancer.

This event was organised by WOH Day 2019 Organising committee led by the UoP's Consultant Paedodontist, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Dr Chandra Godamunne -Herath.