ISLAMABAD: The president, Dr. Arif Alvi, stated on Friday that because curative dentistry had greater financial ramifications, particularly for a developing nation like Pakistan, dentists should come up with novel ways to encourage preventive dentistry by raising public awareness of oral hygiene.
Speaking at the International Oral Pathology and Aesthetic Dentistry Conference’s opening ceremony, the president said preventive healthcare was more crucial because tertiary care was more expensive and out of reach for Pakistan. He urged the attendees, which included oral pathologists, dentists, professors, and students, noting that regular tooth brushing prevented nearly 99% of oral diseases. He said Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) also taught the frequent use of Miswak as had been evident from around 20 Ahadith.
The president, also a renowned dentist, shared the success stories of his career in dentistry which marked massive awareness campaigns on oral health which created a win-win situation for both the private partners as well as the field of dentistry. Highlighting the importance of dentistry, he urged dentists to establish their collaboration with the people to promote oral hygiene and recalled the successful oral hygiene campaign run during the COVID-19 pandemic in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders. He said the professional dentists needed to reorient their approach as the quantum of preventive healthcare in their education was not as required. They should broaden their narrow focus to help people achieve prevention against oral diseases, he added. He said the professionals would have to change their paradigm for the maximum benefit of the people to pay back the huge financing made by the country on their higher education. The president, who earlier also inaugurated the first oral cancer registry, said after oral hygiene, the focus should on the prevention of oral cancer. He advised against the use and sale of betel and other relevant addictive items leading to oral cancer.
The event marked the start of the 2nd International Conference on Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. The Conference is a collaborative event that also includes First International Dental Laser Conference. On the occasion, the president also launched the Pakistan Federation of Laser Dentistry and distributed shields among the organisers and collaborators of the conference.
Earlier, in her address, President of Pakistan Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (PSOMP) Federal Zone Dr Joharia Azhar said Pakistan was among very few countries where there was no oral cancer registry. She also highlighted the need for body of laser dentistry considering the new trends and innovations in the field. She said the oral cancer registry would help maintain the data of the disease in the country besides establishing collaboration with the partners to broaden the network President PSOMP Nauman Rauf said the conference would help broaden the network of professionals to help them embrace the vision of innovations in the field. Focal Person for Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Naima Ansari highlighted the role being played by women chamber in the promotion of basic health without any gender biases. She said the chamber also gave a special focus on the importance of reproductive health including family planning through the collaboration of businessmen as well as professionals.
