Dental News WOHD’19 Campaign launched

Karachi- World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is celebrated annually on 20th March under the aegis of FDI World Dental Federation and is the largest global awareness campaign on oral health.

The goal of WOHD is to improve oral hygiene practices in adults and children alike, and demonstrate the importance of optimal oral health in maintaining general health and well-being.

Each year, WOHD focuses on a specific theme and reaches out to the public, oral health professionals, and policymakers, who all have a role to play in helping reduce the burden of oral disease.

Initially launched in in 2007, WOHD was originally celebrated on September 12^th - the birth date of FDI founder Dr Charles Godon. However, the campaign was not fully activated until 2013, after the date was changed to 20 March to avoid conflict with the FDI World Dental Congress taking place in September.

The new date was chosen to reflect that:

• Seniors must have a total of 20 natural teeth at the end of their life to be considered healthy
• Children should possess 20 baby teeth
• Healthy adults must have a total of 32 teeth and 0 dental cavities
• Expressed on a numerical basis this can be translated as 3/20 hence March 20

The objective is to commonize care for oral health, and to plant a general emotion of enthusiasm in the masses to upkeep the wellbeing of their objective was to educate people about the undeniable connection between mouth and the body. This year, the aim is to ‘motivate people to take action about their mouth health.

Dental News- with Shield Pakistan as its sponsor- officially started its WOHD 2019 campaign on February 7^th on social media. Posts are being made daily to educate people on the various facts and concerns regarding oral care, and to raise awareness about the weightiness of mouth problems, in order to push the masses to consider the status of their oral health; and immediately report any dental issue, or even visit a dentist for a routine checkup. A routine checkup, not surely but mostly, comes with a few surprises! Revelations that one must not overlook.

Quiz posts and polls are also being published to attain engagement on social media platforms. A live, online, Q&A session with a dentist has also been scheduled. Exciting competitions are in the pipeline; thereafter winners will receive exciting gift hampers.

The dental community is also being prompted to share written blogs and messages in regards to the theme of WOHD’19, i.e. educating people of the significance of oral health and the many oral diseases with the intention of them to react to these problems by visiting a dentist and opting for treatment if necessary.

On March 20^th, Dental News, with Shield Pakistan, is set to erect kiosks in 48 locations, including hospitals and dental colleges, in 17 different cities of Pakistan from all four provinces. OPDS will run free of cost this day in selected dental hospitals and colleges to maximize dental care benefit for the masses. These locations will be publicly announced in order to attract more and more people to benefit from the free dental camps. Free samples will also be provided to the visitors.

In 2018, Dental News, led a countrywide successful campaign that bagged unparalleled success and appreciation from major organizations and stakeholders. Apart from lectures and seminars on oral health awareness in schools and colleges, kiosks were set up in dental hospitals and colleges across Pakistan, and OPD services were offered without charges. To maximize participation, a fun ‘smile selfie competition’ was also held, wherein several entries were received.

Dental News has aimed for an even wider participation this year with its revised oral care awareness campaign. Everyone, regardless of their occupation, is welcome to participate in Dental News WOHD’19 campaign by engaging on quiz posts, upcoming competitions, our video content, and by sending us WOHD messages, which might get selected for our March feature.

Let us join hands on this WOHD 2019 to recognize oral health as a vital part of overall wellbeing, and let us celebrate the progress we have made to date, and at the same time commit ourselves to continue working towards better oral health for all.