MoH Celebrates Dental Health Week
Aside from preparing to deal with the Ebola virus and Chikungunya, the Ministry of Health this week has been building awareness on the importance of healthy teeth. Dental Health Week was celebrated under the theme “Belizeans Big-Up Your Smile, It Reflects Your Style.” Throughout the week, dental health departments in all the municipalities carried out surveys and campaigns at schools on proper tooth brushing techniques, as well as treated teachers to free cleaning of their teeth. Today, in Belize City, the campaign culminated with a dental health fair for the entire public at the Central Health Region on Princess Margaret Drive.
Dr. Rafael Samos, Senior Dental Surgeon, Ministry of Health
“It’s a full week of activities; each region has their own set of activities—from the tooth brushing drills, to poster competition to quizzes, to visiting schools. For us here at the Central Region, we decided this time around for the first three days, which is Monday Tuesday and Wednesday; we did the free cleaning for teachers and then today, is the dental health fair whereby we invite high schools and some primary schools as well.”
Duane Moody
Rafael Samos
“We know that this week has been set aside as Dental Health Week, but the education continues nonetheless. Tell us about the work that you guys do throughout the year to foster good hygiene when it comes to your teeth.”
Dr. Rafael Samos
“The Dental Department itself has five programs running at the same time. The normal outpatient day to day clinic program whereby you got to the clinic and get your services there; we have the mobile outreach where we go to the villages at least twice a month, providing transportation’s available; we have the education to maternal and child health to pregnant mothers; we have visit to the prison as well and educational program that we run at different schools where we go to the school itself and do different educational sessions with them along with some incentive gifts as we go along.”
Duane Moody
“What do you think are some of the setbacks when it comes to getting that message across to the youths mainly and the general public to keep the hygiene and keep their teeth healthy?”
Dr. Rafael Samos
“Well I’m happy to say that the trend has changed. In the past it used to be going out and going to the dentist. Anytime you talked about going to the dentist, you go for a simple extraction. Nowadays, people have been educated more and they know about the options and his is where we come in and educate them; the different activities, different alternatives before you can lose your tooth.”
