KARACHI: Second-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students from the Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine (AIDM) recently took their dental education into the community through a school-based oral health outreach programme at S.S. Public School, a charity-based educational institution.
The outreach visit was organised by the Department of Community Dentistry, AIDM, as part of its community-oriented dental education programme. The activity gave students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a real community setting while gaining practical experience in oral health screening, preventive dentistry and health education.
During the visit, dental checkups were conducted for schoolchildren under the supervision and guidance of AIDM faculty members.
The screening process allowed the second-year BDS students to gain practical exposure to school-based oral health assessment, while senior faculty guided them throughout the examinations to ensure that the screenings were performed appropriately and systematically.
The programme was led by Dr. Amir Akbar Shaikh, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Community Dentistry, AIDM.
He was supported by demonstrators Dr. Nikita Bodani, Dr. Fatima Jafery, Dr. Danial Ahmed and Dr. Zain Jabbar, who assisted in guiding students during the community outreach activity.
The outreach programme went beyond identifying potential oral health concerns.
Following the dental checkups, the students provided oral hygiene instructions to the schoolchildren, focusing on practical measures that can help prevent dental diseases.
Children were guided on proper tooth-brushing techniques, regular brushing and maintaining good oral hygiene, while the importance of preventive dental care was also emphasised.
The educational component was intended to help children develop healthier daily habits rather than limiting the visit to a one-time dental examination.
For the participating BDS students, the visit provided an opportunity to move from theoretical learning to practical community-based dental care.
Working directly with schoolchildren allowed the students to strengthen several skills relevant to dental practice, including clinical screening, patient communication, oral health education and community engagement.
The experience also exposed students to the role dentists can play in preventing oral disease through early awareness and education, particularly among children.
The choice of S.S. Public School, a charity-based educational institution, also reflected the community-oriented focus of the programme.
Community dentistry plays an important role in extending oral health promotion and preventive care beyond conventional dental clinics and into schools and communities where access to dental services and health education may be limited.
The AIDM outreach therefore combined two objectives: providing schoolchildren with basic oral health screening and education while giving future dentists practical experience in community-based care.
AIDM continues community-based dental education
The Department of Community Dentistry at Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine remains focused on providing students with meaningful community-based learning opportunities, according to the information shared about the programme.
Such activities allow dental students to develop clinical and communication skills while participating in preventive oral healthcare initiatives.
The outreach at S.S. Public School demonstrates how community dentistry can connect BDS education, preventive oral healthcare and public awareness, giving students an opportunity to contribute to children's oral health while developing skills that will remain relevant throughout their professional careers.
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