Oral Health For All- A community Outreach Series

1. INTRODUCTION

Every year World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is celebrated on March 20 signifying the importance of oral health and to make global call for all the health professionals and non-medical professionals to act for oral health.

This year World Oral Health Day 2025 is being celebrated with the theme “A Happy Mouth is A Happy Mind” emphasizing the connection between oral health and mental wellbeing.

Established in 2023, the Dental Students' Society of Nepal (DSSN) is a youth-led, non-profit organization representing the interests and aspirations of dental students and young professionals across Nepal. As the recognized national member of the International Association of Dental Students and the World Dental Federation (FDI), DSSN is positioned at the forefront of global dental advocacy and innovation.

1.1. BACKGROUND

• To increase the awareness level regarding oral health among various representative communities
• To conduct oral disease screening among various vulnerable population
• To provide Topical Fluoride Application treatment to caries susceptible children
• To distribute oral hygiene care products to the needy population

1.2. EVENT OVERVIEW

“Oral Health for All- A Community Outreach Series” is a campaign that highlights the importance of oral health for everybody irrespective of their age, socio-economic status and physical limitations.

The campaign was executed in different places that represents different communities from diverse background. The target communities that represents the following groups were selected.

a. Specially Abled Individual

b. Women

c. Elderly Population

d. Low Socio- Economic Status Population

e. Orphans

f. Street Children

g. Children of Imprisoned Parents

2. OBJECTIVES

• To increase the awareness level regarding oral health among various representative communities
• To conduct oral disease screening among various vulnerable population
• To provide Topical Fluoride Application treatment to caries susceptible children
• To distribute oral hygiene care products to the needy population

3. PLANNING AND PREPARATION

3.1. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Organizing Committee was formed from the members of executive committee and general members of the organization to plan and execute the event. The role of organizing committee was to:

a. To find and approach appropriate outreach site for the campaigns

b. Manage resources for the outreach campaigns

c. Seek for potential partners, collaborators and sponsors.

d. Seek volunteers for the campaigns and provide them with necessary training session.

3.2. COLLABORATION AND SPONSORSHIP

The campaign was supported by Nepal Dental Association and various sponsors were brought on board for the support. Pepsodent sponsored oral hygiene products like toothpastes and Tshirts for the campaigns

3.3. CAMPAIGN PREPARATION

• Outreach Sites for Campaigns were selected and permissions to conduct the dental camp were taken from relevant authorities.
• Necessary instruments, education materials, dental materials were procured.

3.4 COORDINATORS AND VOLUNTEERS CALL

• Coordinators for various campaigns were made from the social media.

• Following the coordinator call, volunteer call was made.

  Social Media Links

• Coordinator Call- Click Here
• Volunteer Call- Click Here

3.5 COORDINATORS TRAINING

Training Session was conducted to all the coordinators. The coordinators were trained about the overall process of conducting a successful and impactful community outreach events. FDI Guidelines for Dental Volunteers were utilized as well. The training was hosted by Public Health Committee.

4.  PARTICIPANTS

More than 1000 individuals from different background were benefited from the campaigns. Following 13 sites were visited by campaign volunteers where they provided with various promotive and preventive services:-

1. Sinamangal Slum Area, Kathmandu
2. Nepal Eternity Orphans Home, Rupandehi
3. BIA institute, Jorpati
4. Chobar Mahila Samuha, Chobar
5. Dwarikadas Secondary School, Chitwan
6. Help Nepal Network Children's Home, Dhulikhel
7. Sahara Children's Home, Dhulikhel
8. Naya Nepal Samaj Kendra Anathalaya, Bhaktapur
9. Navajeevan Paropakar Samaj, Kathmandu
10. Self Help Union, Kathmandu
11. Police public Campaign for Children Nepal, Chitwan
12. Prisoner's Assistance Mission, Kathmandu
13. Ama Yangri Peak

5. CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

5.1 ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION

In each outreach campaigns, volunteers successfully provided following services depending on the nature of beneficiaries in the outreach sites:

Providing oral health education was one of the key objectives of the campaign. In each outreach sites, the participants were made aware about the importance of oral health, proper oral hygiene techniques, basic understanding of oral disease. Volunteers applied practical engagement technique by conducting live brushing session by participants to make learning more impactful. Volunteers used various models and teaching leaning materials to aware the participants.

5.2 ORAL DISEASE SCREENING

Early diagnosis is considered as one of the secondary level of preventions. Diagnosis oral disease and condition at early stage is really essential to decrease the impact that the disease makes. Considering this we included free oral disease screening in our campaigns.

5.3 TOPICAL FLUORIDE APPLICATION

Topical Fluoride Application is one of the proven efficient preventive intervention that can be done on camp setup.

We provided topical fluoride application to the children susceptible to caries. We used Acidulated Phosphate Fluoride (APF) gel as a fluoride agent.

Topical Fluoride Application was done on around 150 childrens with high caries susceptibility.

5.4 ORAL HYGIENE KITS DISTRIBUTION

Tooth Paste and Toothbrush were distributed to the needy population. Participants were involved in oral health education session before distributing the oral hygiene kits. Th distributed kit served as motivation for them to implement the learned techniques in their daily life.

5.5 KIDS ACTIVITY SHEET

As a part of interactive learning sessions, children were engaged in Kids Activity Sheet developed by World Dental Federation (FDI).

High level of enthusiasm was seen among the child participants. Children were provided with the printed sheet, color pen and pencils for the activity.

6. OUTCOMES AND IMPACT

6.1. OUTCOMES

The ‘Oral Health for All- A community Outreach Series” achieved significant milestones in promoting oral health awareness and preventive care across diverse communities.

Key outcomes include:

• Over 1000 individuals received education on the importance of oral hygiene, proper brushing techniques and the prevention of oral diseases.
• Free oral disease screenings facilitated early detection.
• Approximately 150 children at high risk for dental caries benefitted from Topical Fluoride application reinforcing preventive dental care.
• Interactive session including live brushing demonstrations , supervised brushing fostered positive oral health behaviours especially among childrens.
• Provision of toothbrushes and toothpaste to the underprivileged individuals encouraged the adoption of daily oral hygiene practices.
• Increased and strengthened relationships with local communities, emphasizing the role of young dental professionals in public health promotion.

6.2. SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACT

The ‘Oral Health for All- A community Outreach Series” created a significant buzz on social media platforms , successfully extending its reach beyond physical outreach.

Officials hastag like #WOHD2025, #ORALHEALTH #HAPPYMOUTHISHAPPYMIND, #ORALHEALTHFORALL were used in our post-event reels and pictures to align with the global movement and amplify visibility.

Clickable Links here:

a. Sinamangal Click Here

b. Chobar Click Here

c. Chitwan Click Here

d. Rupandehi Click Here

e. Ama Yangri Click Here

f. Dhulikhel Click Here 

Overall : Click Here 

6.3. MEDIA/Press IMPACT

The campaign also received attention from mainstream media, helping amplify the message of World Oral Health Day 2025 to the broader audience.

Our activities were broadcasted by prominent platforms such as The Himalayan. https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/voices-of-change-dental-students-lead-a-nation-toward-better-oral-health

7. UTILIZATION OF FDI THEME AND RESOURCES

Our organization recognizes that this year's World Oral Health Day (WOHD) theme, "A Happy Mouth is A Happy Mind," carries a profound and meaningful message. To ensure the spirit of the theme resonated throughout our campaign, we strategically incorporated various resources and tools provided by the World Dental Federation (FDI).

a. Toothie Mascot Integration:

Toothie, FDI’s official oral health ambassador, was a vibrant and constant presence throughout our outreach events. Serving as a symbol of oral health, Toothie helped deliver key messages in a fun, relatable, and child-friendly way, making learning sessions more interactive and engaging for the participants especially among children.

b. FDI Kids' Activity Sheets:

Interactive sessions with children were further enhanced by FDI’s specially designed Kids' Activity Sheets. These worksheets, including coloring pages, puzzles, and quizzes, helped instill essential oral hygiene practices in a creative and memorable manner.

c. Campaign Branding with WOHD Logo and Theme:

The World Oral Health Day 2025 logo and the campaign slogan "A Happy Mouth is A Happy Mind" were featured prominently across all materials, including banners, posters, and Pepsodent-sponsored volunteer T-shirts that showcased Toothie on the front and the theme slogan on the back.

Throughout the campaign events, the theme was consistently promoted through group shout-outs, public announcements, and activities with participants. Additionally, volunteers and participants collaborated to create a video based on the "Happy Mouth is A Happy Mind" theme, further spreading the message

Overall, the use of FDI’s comprehensive resources significantly strengthened the impact, visibility, and reach of our campaign. By integrating Toothie, the WOHD theme, educational materials, and visual branding into our outreach strategy, we were able to create a powerful and lasting impression among all age groups within the communities we served.

8. CONCLUSION

The "Oral Health for All – A Community Outreach Series," organized to mark World Oral Health Day 2025 with the theme "A Happy Mouth is A Happy Mind," made a meaningful impact by promoting oral health awareness and preventive care across various communities in Nepal.

Through careful planning, effective application of FDI-provided resources, and strong community involvement, the campaign successfully educated over 1,000 individuals and delivered crucial preventive treatments and oral hygiene supplies. The incorporation of FDI’s Toothie mascot and Kids' Activity Sheets notably boosted children's engagement and learning during the sessions.

This campaign highlights the vital contribution of youth-led organizations like the Dental Students' Society of Nepal (DSSN) in leading public health initiatives. Looking ahead, DSSN is committed to expanding its outreach activities, building stronger partnerships, and advancing its mission to make oral health an essential part of overall well-being for all.