Rural population in need of preventive dental healthcare: Experts

HYDERABAD: Stressing the importance of creating awareness about preventive dental health in rural areas, participants at a seminar on “Way forward after Dentistry” said that there is an urgent need for extensive utilisation of BDS doctors and clinicians in primary and urban healthcare centres a well as at vaccination camps.

The seminar was recently organised at Dr Kakarla Subbarao Centre for Health Care Management with participation of around 80 students, faculty and dental practitioners. The participants discussed several topics, including career options for dental students.

Referring to Covid-19, the panelists said that the pandemic has hit dental health in rural areas of the State. “Before the pandemic, dental and medical college students used to set up their camps helping the patients to identify problems at an early stage,” said Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, Director of KSRC Health Care Management Centre.  

“Now, lack of awareness has increased among rural population,” he added.Under Ayushman Bharat, the government of Telangana has included dental health plan at health and wellness centres. However, not every village has such a centre.The panelists also said that dental doctors can even help in handling the pandemic. “As there is a shortage of doctors, BDS doctors can work in their place as their curriculum is the same for the first few years,” said Dr Subodh.