Dental care for one million students

Dental health plan targets 1 million students 23/01/2008 -- 7:47 PM Ha Noi (VNA) – A programme benefiting more than 1 million student smiles nationwide kick-started its tenth year on January 22, as some 1,000 students celebrated the start of this year’s P/S Protects Smile of Viet Nam . The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Training and Unilever Viet Nam launched this year’s programme that promotes dental care prevention and treatment measures for students, at an event at the Hoang Dieu Primary School in Ha Noi. ”Dental care conditions and the health of children in Viet Nam are very weak. Eating lots of sweets and a lack of dental care are blamed for why there are more and more children suffering from dental diseases such as gingivitis and dental caries,” said Nguyen Huy Nga, Director of the Preventive Medicine Department with the Ministry of Health. The programme aims to promote community dental care in schools nationwide through various activities, with a focus on education and training with supplies of dental care information booklets. The programme also provides students with dental check ups, advice and treatment through a mobile dental care car and promotes general awareness through competitions on dental care subjects for primary students throughout the country. The programme is expected to take place in over 1,000 primary and pre-schools this year, supplying 1.2 million booklets, education facilities on dental care activities with check ups and treatment provided to over 500 students nationwide. According to Health Ministry statistics, rate of dental diseases was about 80 percent in primary students and between 60-70 percent in secondary school in Viet Nam . The rate was higher in big cities like Ha Noi or Ho Chi Minh City . The high figures were blamed on poor dental care habits and the lack of dental care because of a shortage of dentists or families unable to afford treatment, said Nga.-Enditem http://www.vnagency.com.vn/Home/EN/tabid/119/itemid/233141/Default.aspx