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DENTAL PROJECT
In April 2008 Philani opened the doors of its new dental clinic, offering free oral health care, treatment and education to the children and mothers on Philani’s programmes in Khayelitsha and beyond. The project was initiated by Swedish dental professor Kerstin Lundgren from the Institute of Odontology, University of Göteborg, and is supported and funded by Rotary Clubs in Sweden and Cape Town, as well as Rotary International and the Foundation for Philani Oral Health in Sweden. Comprising two consulting rooms, the clinic was built in 2007, fitted out with dental equipment from Sweden in early December, and officially blessed by Philani’s patron, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, on 13 December 2007. Staffed by a part-time Oral Hygienist, the clinic’s services are boosted by the assistance of dentists and dental students from Sweden, volunteering for fixed periods. The clinic constitutes a satellite clinic to the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape.
The problem
In the poorest communities, where food
Dental caries
The philosophy
The aim of the project is to focus on preventative health care, rather than curative, while recognising that treatment for existing conditions is often required in even very young children from the communities served by Philani. The overall aim is to improve the dental health of children in Khayelitsha and other townships outside Cape Town.
Working with Philani's programmes
All children in Philani’s Educare classes are given regular dental check-ups and treatment. Philani’s Outreach workers are being trained in basic dental hygiene to enable them to educate the mothers with whom they work about the importance of good oral health for themselves and their children. Children from the Outreach programme are referred to the Philani clinic for screening and treatment, with field clinics for Outreach children also organised in the community. The Outreach workers are given educational material developed by the Foundation for Philani Oral Health to assist them in disseminating dental health information.
For further information, visit www.philanioralhealth.se.
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