Dental News - Oral Health Month in Singapore starts at FDI congress

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Oral Health Month in Singapore starts at FDI congress

Prof. Satku and officials from FDI, SDA and Colgate-Palmolive watching the oral health screenings of schoolchildren. (DTI/Photo courtesy by the FDI World Dental Federation)
FDI Worldental Daily

FDI Worldental Daily

Thu. 3. September 2009

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The annual Oral Health Month in Singapore was launched yesterday at the FDI Annual World Dental Congress. Joined by the guest of honour Prof. K. Satku, Director of Medical Services in Singapore, representatives from the FDI, the Singapore Dental Association (SDA) and sponsor, Colgate-Palmolive, schoolchildren from Singapore, received free oral health screening in the Tropics Atrium at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Singapore and aims to improve oral health by offering free dental screenings to every Singaporean. This year, more than 200 private dentists have participated in the programme, said a SDA spokesperson. The screenings will take place during weekends over the course of September.

The oral health status of Singaporeans has improved slightly. According to the Adult Oral Health Survey conducted island-wide in 2003, almost half (46 per cent) of the respondents indicated that they visit the dentist at least once a year; the average mean DMFT was 8.1 and about 10 per cent of the respondents were caries free. This was an improvement from the last survey conducted in 1996 where only slightly more than a quarter (27 per cent) of the respondents indicated that they visit the dentist at least once a year. The average mean DMFTwas 9 and only 6.9 per cent of the respondents were caries free. School children in Singapore enjoy good oral health with a mean DMFT (12-year-olds) of 0.54 (reported in survey done in 2003).

(This article is published with permission by the FDI World Dental Federation.)

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