World Oral Health Day 2018 celebrated across Dubai

World Oral Health Day is commitment to educating consumers and dental professionals on the importance of developing good oral healthcare habits at an early age and increasing education on the impact oral health can have on general health conditions.

It’s a day full of activities that make everyone laugh, sing and smile!

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in cooperation with Philips Sonicare organised an exciting schedule for everyone by inviting The Singing Dentist, Dr Milad Shadrooh, to join in celebrating WOHD in Dubai. The schedule of activities for WOHD was very exciting. It all started on 11 March on the Ch4FM radio, where a competition for children under the age of 16 years was held. The competition task was to rap or sing a song related to oral health. The winner would receive a chance to make a recording with The Singing Dentist himself for the following day’s Breakfast Show, meet and greet The Singing Dentist in Mirdif City Centre the following week and receive a Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush free of charge.

The Mirdif City Centre’s audience reserved a warm welcome for The Singing Dentist. A short question and answer session regarding oral health was held and answered by children. Dr. Rafif Tayara demonstrated the technique of proper toothbrushing.

On 20th March the Singing Dentists visited Repton School Dubai where he met 320 exited students from year 3 and year 5. The Singing Dentists interacted with the children asking and answering questions about how to maintain good oral hygiene in line with the WOHD theme “Say Ahh!”

With the advice to:

• Brush your teeth
• Eat Healthy and
• Visit the dentist

The year 5 group had used one of the Singing Dentists videos in Moral Education and the children have written their own well-being songs using him as inspiration. The atmosphere was static in the room with the students dancing and singing along with the Singing Dentists. A day to remember of good oral hygiene tips while having fun!

On 21 March, The Singing Dentist, the DHA and Philips were present at the Modern Dubai School, where the students were to form the largest “Human Smile” by having students wear t-shirts in red, blue and white (the WOHD logo colours).

On the day, Dr Hamda Sultan al-Mesmar, Director of the Dental Services Department at the DHA, opened the ceremony with the following words, “The Dubai Health Authority’s vision is to have a happy and healthy community and that of the Dental Services Department is to improve the oral health of students of the Emirate of Dubai and to serve the goals of the 2016–2021 DHA strategy to increase oral health literacy among the population of Dubai and decrease dental caries among its children.”

The DHA extended their thanks and gratitude to Ms Hamda Lootah, head of the Dubai Modern Education School; Michael, head of the American section; and respected academic and medical staff from the school for accommodating this festival of oral health awareness and the celebration of WOHD that is organised by the FDI World Dental Federation, as well as the inauguration of the second edition of the “My Smile” oral health school programme, of which Dr Shiamaa Shihab al-Mashhadani from the DHA is a leader.­ Additionally, thanks went to the DHA’s strategic partner, Philips Sonicare, for their continuous support of the Dental Services Department, and to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, as well as the School and Educational Institutes Unit in the DHA.

The main attraction of the day for everyone participating was, of course, The Singing Dentist. He performed several of his “hit” songs, during which the entire audience sang along. He also met the students who had won the competition on oral health benefits. At the same time, several stations were placed along the room with different oral health activities in which the students participated. The DHA, together with the Emirates Dental Hygienist Club, educated the youngest in a fun manner about oral health care.

The DHA hopes that the students benefited from the programme and that, in the end, the primary goal was achieved, which was to have every student of Dubai be healthy and happy.