The Department of Public Health Dentistry, IGIDS, SBV in association with Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of IOWA, USA, organized maiden students exchange program ISOP from 20.12.16 to 29.12.16.
For this program one faculty, one post graduate and four undergraduates have participated from COD, University of IOWA, USA in ISOP. Various outreach activities were organized by team PHD for this program.
The following are the list of activities and programs during ISOP.
Day 1 (20.12.2016): Introduction and orientation of the students to hospital service.
Day2 (21.12.2016): Door to door oral cancer screening at Kuttiyankuppam village, Cuddalore district.
Day 3 (22.12.2016): Oral health program for hearing and speech impaired at Vela Special School, Villupuram.
Day 4 (23.12.2016): Continuing Dental Education program on “Infant Oral Health care – The Untold Story”
Day 5 (24.12.2016): Comprehensive oral health program at Sultanpet, Pondicherry.
Day 6 (26.12.16): Oral health program for Transgenders at SCOHD, Cuddalore.
Day 7 (27.12.2016): School oral health program for special children at Sathya Special School, Pondicherry.
Day 8 (28.12.16): Comprehensive oral health program at Nuduvirapattu, Cuddalore.
Day 9 (29.12.16): The visiting international Students presented their portfolio and reflection on the program. Honorable Vice Chancellor of SBV and Dean Faculty of dentistry awarded the certificates to the international students.
Few take home messages by the International students are follows.
- Universal Back resting device was useful for outreach activities.
- Our education is very similar but our experiences and method of practice have many differences and the practice is shaped by the environment and culture.
- Education system surrounding dentistry is very similar regardless of where you are in the world.
- Vaccination for transgender beyond oral health care is well appreciated and unique way of approaching oral health.
- Greater efficiency of the outreach programs.
- Lack of oral hygiene and awareness among children are similar in both the countries.
Unlearned things
- Primary prevention is not recognized as much as worldwide
- Smoking is not as prominent as once believed
- Adapting to a culture and food habits is sometimes more difficult than adapting to a new environment