Future Recommendations for School Dental Health Program in India

Dental Surgeons working in public sector have an important role to play in school dental health program to reinstitute the oral and dental health of growing population of India. Even though the oral health policy was drafted in India in 1995, it was not implemented till this date (1). It is important to enhance the knowledge about good oral health in teachers and parents by caring out workshops and seminars on oral and dental health by dental Surgeons working in public health sector. Dental surgeons working in public health sector should carry out oral screening to improve the future of oral health care in India (2). Mobile dental unit is an effective method to render oral and dental health-care in the public sector and it should be implemented in school set up in multiple situations such as educating school children regarding oral and dental health, screening of school children for various oral diseases, school and community dental health program(3).In an interventional study conducted among rural school children in Nalgonda district to assess the oral health promotion, it was interfered that the School teachers may be utilized as good medium for oral health promotion among school children in India and other developing countries(4). The following recommendations should be incorporated in school health program in India. The government should incorporate dental surgeons in school health programs to give lecture on oral health, oral hygiene, plaque control, oral and dental diseases, oral cancer or smokeless tobacco use and hazards counseling and topical fluoride application. The government should incorporate oral and dental health related topic in School curriculum. Compulsory fitness regarding oral and dental health should be made mandatory for class promotion. Dental Surgeons play an important role in recognizing child abuse in school set up (5). Dentists should evaluate child abuse cases and child abuse cases will present clinically as physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse (6). The straight path to accomplish the above goals is achieved through strong support from policy makers and professional support from dental surgeons working in public and private sector in India.