1st National Conference on Primary Dental Health

The Pakistan Dental Association Karachi (PDAK) in collaboration with Dow University of Health Sciences organized the 1st National Conference on Primary Dental Health at the Ojha Campus of Dow University. Expert dentists from all over Pakistan attended the event to read research papers on precautionary measures against dental diseases. Around 800 Dental Surgeons attended the event where Colgate was the platinum sponsor of the event.

Professor Dr. Masood Hameed Khan – Vice Chancellor Dow University was the Chief Guest and speaking on the occasion he said that; Pakistan needs more faculties in dentistry for enhancing the Post graduate training and study programmes. The learned dentists must go for post graduate programmes in Oral Medicine and Periodontology, which will enable us to offer Post graduate training and FCPS in new fields. Doctors should be more honest and compassionate in their work, and focus more on the patients, while demonstrating a team spirit among the health care industry.

Earlier Dr Navid Rashid Qureshi President of PDAK delivered the welcome speech. He said that; Prevention of dental disease can help us reduce the incidence of dental disease and thus save up on big healthcare expenditure for the whole nation. Young dentists should come forward to play a pivotal role in this initiative and transform the dental health facilities with specialized services in Pakistan.

The event was organized PDA Karachi , and spearheaded by the General Secretary PDA Karachi Dr. Feroz Jehangir with Professor Ayyaz Ali Khan as its chairman. The opening ceremony began with a theme presentation by Dr. Arshad Hasan from Dow Dental College. The topic of his lecture was; Prevention of Dental Diseases – A Clinician’s 2 Cents”. The ceremony was hosted by Dr. Nasreen Iqbal Nagani – Lecturer and MDS trainee at Dr. Ishrat ul Ibad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences.

The main objective of organizing this conference was to create awareness regarding primary dental health. The PDA Karachi engaged a large number of primary teachers in this conference, to enable them to better educate school children about cleaning teeth and prevention of oral diseases. Alongside this conference a series of Pre and post Conference Workshops were organized at various Institutions.

A workshop on Research Methodology was held at Ziauddin Medical University, facilitated by Assistant Prof. Dr. Afshan Rahim from Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry, Associate Prof. Dr. Ambreena Qureshi from Ishrat ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences.

A Dental Implants workshop was conducted at Hamdard College of Medicine and Dentistry, by Prof. Dr. Kashif Naqvi – Head of Oral and Maxillo facial Deptt Hamdard College of Medicine and Dentistry (HCMD). Dr. Syed Abrar – Associate Professor and Head of Operative Dentistry at HCMD conducted a workshop on Rotary Endodontics at the HCMD.

A workshop on Pulp Regeneration was held at the Dow International Dental College, facilitated by Dr. Adeel Ahmed – Asstt. Prof. of Operative Dentistry at Dow International Dental College (DIDC), Dr. Farah Naz – Assistant Professor of Operative Dentistry at DIDC and Dr. M. Amin – Asstt. Prof. of Operative Dentistry at DIDC.

A workshop on Complete Denture Fabrication was held at Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry. It was conducted by Asstt. Prof. Dr. Erum Raja – “Head of Prosthodontics” at the Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry (LCMD). Prof. Dr. Hoshang R. Sukhia – Vice Principal and Head of Dental Section Sir Syed Dental College also conducted a workshop on Basic Orthodontics at the campus of Sir Syed Dental College.

Dr. Ambreena Qureshi along with Dr. Narrendar Dawani – Associate Prof. of Community Dentistry from Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences conducted a workshop on “Statistical Package for Social Sciences”, at DIDC.

Dr. Irfan Qureshi – Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics at Altamash Institute of Dental Sciences also conducted a workshop on “Dental Implants” at Fatima Jinnah Dental College, while another workshop on Rotary Endodontics was held at the Fatima Jinnah Dental College (FJDC) conducted by Prof. Dr. Saqib Rasheed – Head of Operative Dentistry at FJDC. Overall, it turned out to be a highly enlightening and valuable endeavor by the PDA Karachi.

Dr. Arif Alvi MNA Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf was the chief guest at the closing ceremony where most of the organizing committee members were conspicuous by their absence but the omni present Dr. Feroz and Dr. Aizaz were there to receive the chief guest and conducted the ceremony. The prominent attended the closing ceremony included Prof. Ayyaz Ali Khan, Dr. Saqib Rashid and Dr. Mahmood Shah.