NIP in the BUD: Oral Health Primary & Preventive Package
for Schools and Institutions

Background

Poor dental and oral health impacts not only a kid’s overall health but also their wellbeing.

Children with a need for dental treatment may have pain, infections and difficulty in eating, sleeping and socialising. Such children also may have to be absent from school. Parents of such children often need to take time off from their schedule to take their children to the dentist.

According to the American Academy of Paediatrics: ‘Tooth Decay in Children, also known as Early Childhood Caries, is the most common chronic children’s disease in the world.’

Since schools are powerful places to shape the health, education and well-being of our children. Messages about achieving and maintaining good oral health can be reinforced regularly throughout the school years as children and adolescents are more receptive to new information.  Schools can play a major part in imparting dental health education to children through proper planning and implementing of oral health prevention and primary care programs.

Proposition

While in the US and UK it is mandatory for schools to conduct oral health examinations before enrolling a child for any programme, this is yet to be implemented in developing countries like India.

However, as a torchbearer of one of the best schools in India we feel that you can initiate a primary and preventive oral and dental health programme in your school – sans mandatory. Your school can provide a supportive environment for promoting oral health programmes for its children.

While Dr Rimjhim Saran Bhatnagar and her team at D-Care would work together with you and deliver the desired objectives, your school would eventually take the lead in integrating oral health into your general health curriculum.

 NIP in the BUD

Education and Sensitization:

In the sensitization and education module of our program we will teach students, teachers and staff of nursery, preparatory, primary and secondary grades about the benefits of right brushing techniques, good oral hygiene, preventive dental health practices and ill effects of smoking and use of tobacco. Under this module, we would conduct live demonstrations and visual sessions on topics such as tooth-brushing, flossing, mouth rinsing, etc.

Primary Dental Examination:

Our team of Dentists and Oral Hygienists will conduct primary dental examinations on each student at least twice every year. Each child’s examination would be recorded on a dental health assessment sheet with a diagnosis and advise if required. It’s a win-win situation for both the school and the students as we will examine / diagnose the child within the school’s premises. Hence, the child will not miss the school and their parents will not have to take time off to take their wards to the dentist.

Dental Record & Filing:

The findings of the examination would be recorded, filed and provided in a commensurate format so that any follow up treatment or medication, if required, can be taken up by the parents. Complete secrecy of the patient data would be maintained and the same would be shared only with the respective parents and the school authorities.

Treatment Furtherance:  

If required and desired by the parents, the children can seek further treatment under Dr. Rimjhim Saran Bhatnagar and her team at D-Care.

Costs:

For all of the above services in the ‘Nip in the Bud’ program the annual registration fee per child would be Rs. 1500.00. In case the child needs further care and treatment, then the same would be provided at Dr Rimjhim’s Clinic at D-Care at a Discount of 20% on the total treatment cost.

For teachers and staff of the school, dental examination would be provided free of cost while any further care and treatment if required, will be provided at Dr Rimjhim’s Clinic at D-Care at a discount of 35% on the total treatment cost.

Giveaways

As a token of appreciation and for becoming the champion of oral healthcare for kids we will give each child a small memento to take back home and donate 20% of the total Annual Registration Fee collected back to the school to propagate good primary and preventive healthcare in the school and community.