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This project involved Undergraduate Dentistry Students working together with the Toa Payoh East Zone 6 Residents Network to primarily raise Oral Health Literacy rates amongst the elderly residents in the community and thus reduce the risk incidence of dental caries and their associated oral and systemic pathologies.
In preparation for the home visits, we had a short sharing session by Dr Vijayan (an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Dentistry who volunteers and works closely with the Residents’ Committee) and Mr Ali (Chairman of the Toa Payoh East Zone 6 Residents Network), where they shared insights on the ways students can serve and how we may go about doing them effectively.
Following this, we conducted the house visits on 9 July 2022 and prepared a slew of Oral Health Instructions/Education materials targeted at teaching the residents strategies on how to manage their Oral Health condition. This also included sharing on proper toothbrushing techniques and increasing awareness on simple dental products (interdental brushes, floss,) the residents can use on a daily basis. This was done in line with our chief intent- to mitigate against the risk of dental-related health issues through educating the wider community. On the day itself, we managed to visit 12 homes and administered Oral Health Education/Instructions to some 25 residents.
