Public Health Dentistry

The Department of Public Health Dentistry at JSS Dental College and Hospital aims to extend the basic oral health care services to the people of Mysore and neighboring districts. Department caters to the oral health needs using state-of-the-art mobile dental unit and portable dental equipments. Patients are offered emergency, first aid and basic oral health services at camps while referring patients requiring specialty services to the dental college hospital for further management. Department offers comprehensive oral health care services and aims to excel in areas of teaching and research.

We are committed to create awareness among the general population about the most common causes of oral diseases and simple self care practices to prevent them. Besides, the department organizes health awareness campaigns such as World Health Day, World No Tobacco day, World Environment day, World AIDS day, National tooth brushing day, National Public Health Dentistry day where the students and faculty actively participate in motivating the general public to adopt healthy life style practices.

Features

The department has a well organised and spacious clinic for exodontias and other minor oral surgical procedures. These procedures are majorly carried out by undergraduates and post graduates in different sections under the supervision of teaching faculty.

Academics

Under graduate training

We offer clinical training and demonstration for third and fourth BDS students. These students are trained thoroughly in the diagnosis and treatment of most common oral diseases using chair side discussions and demonstrations.

The internship program involves posting in rural health training center, urban health center, KSRTC, Dental Unit at central prison besides their participation in camps and extension activities. Interns are motivated to organize school dental programs and camps.

Post graduate training

The department has seven faculty members and one unit of post graduation. Faculty members have admirable knowledge in Public Health Dentistry and basic research methods. Our faculty have authored some textbooks, published many scientific papers in reputed peer reviewed national and international journals. Some of our faculties are members of editorial boards of national journals. Faculties are expert reviewers in national and international journals. Our staffs have contributed as resource personnel for many scientific deliberations like CDEs and workshops.

Our post graduate program offers good training to the budding public health dentists. Our postgraduate teaching programme is taught using interactive discussions and demonstrations besides routine seminars, journal clubs and clinical case presentations. Our students are encouraged to undertake research projects of their interest and pursue the same research further after completion of post graduation. They are motivated to attend conferences, CME, Quiz and workshops. Post graduate students along with faculty play a vital role in organizing various scientific events such as CDEs, guest lectures, workshops etc by department.

Community Service

The strength of department is our outreach programs using mobile dental unit. We organize camps in collaboration with reputed NGOs in urban slums, rural areas, tribal areas, orphanages, old age homes, residential homes for children with special needs. Our department pioneered the concept of extending basic oral health services to the inmates of central Prison, Mysore by establishing a dental clinic in collaboration with rotary West, Mysore which served as a model facilitating establishment of such centers in other parts of the state and country. We extend oral health care services to the employees of KSRTC. A total of 227 camps and eight oral health exhibitions have been conducted in the last five years benefiting more than 8 lakhs individuals.

Center of Activity

Preventive dentistry paves the way for healthy teeth and gums and enhances lifelong good oral hygiene habits. A preventive dental visit will give patients a professional check to evaluate existing oral health condition and future risks of developing dental and oral problems. Preventive dental services include Routine oral examination, Scaling/cleaning, Sealant application, Fluoride treatments, provision of oral hygiene maintenance instructions for self- care comprising proper brushing technique, mouth rinsing, flossing technique, diet, follow up evaluation at regular intervals- to monitor any new oral problems from occurring and evaluate the treatments provided. Tobacco counseling and follow up among those who are addicted to tobacco habits.

"A stitch in time saves nine". It costs lesser to save the disease from happening than to treating the disease The center provides most appropriate preventive procedures with state of art infrastructure and updated concepts after evaluating each patients risks. Visit us to get the preventive dental service that best suits you by an expert.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

Best Practice

Outreach and extension activities catering to the oral health needs of underserved population.

Objectives

To extend the basic oral health care services to the urban, rural and tribal population of Mysore and surrounding districts
To deliver oral health education and preventive care to school children
To serve the special groups (old age homes, destitute homes, residential home for specially abled children, orphanages, infants, patients with cleft lip and palate etc) of the community

The Context

Oral health is a neglected entity among the rural and tribal population owing to the lack of awareness, access and affordability. Owing to lack of basic oral health care services among this underserved population, the Department Of Public Health Dentistry organizes outreach and extension activities to promote oral health.

Practice

The Department Of Public Health Dentistry organizes the following outreach and extension activities on a regular basis

Free Primary Dental Care Services through camps and outreach programmes & Mobile Dental Services
Urban and rural peripheral centers (Dental unit-JSS Hospital Suttur, Central prison, KSRTC, Urban health centre)
Oral health exhibitions
Oral health education and Free Primary Dental Care Services for residential school children
Oral health education and Free Primary Dental Care Services for children with special needs.
Teledentistry
Public awareness campaigns such as World Health Day, World No Tobacco day, World Environment day, World AIDS day, National tooth brushing day, oral hygiene day.

Evidence of success

The camps were conducted in and around the Mysore district. In the peripheral centers we are providing both preventive and therapeutic treatment to all the age groups. The prevalence of oral diseases in residential schools has decreased and awareness improved among all children. The awareness of the population regarding oral diseases, communicable and non communicable diseases residing in and around the peripheral centers was improved.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Complex treatments like root canal treatment, crown and bridges, etc is a big challenge to carry out at camp site. Even with best of our ability to convince the patients to visit the dental hospital for complex treatment sometimes many of the people will not turn to hospital. Because of the time constraint and cover major population in the camp site it’s difficult to obtain informed consent from every individual. Enormous oral health needs, limited resources have become an obstacle in recent past to sustain such large scale social responsibilities.

Future plans

Develop and introduce a module for tobacco counseling for BDS students.
Establish one tobacco counseling center in the department and central prison.