Ziauddin dental students turn short films into oral health awareness tool

KARACHI: Undergraduate dental students at Ziauddin College of Dentistry used short films to communicate public health messages on oral diseases, prevention and healthy habits during the “A Happy Mouth, A Happy Life” Short Film Competition 2026.

The event was organised by the Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry on June 19 and involved second-year BDS students from Batch 16. The activity was designed to encourage students to translate dental knowledge into accessible public awareness content through storytelling and visual communication.

The competition drew inspiration from the World Health Organization’s Health for All Film Festival and focused on the use of short, evidence-based films as a medium for health education. Each participating group selected an oral health condition and developed a short film aimed at improving awareness of prevention, early diagnosis and timely dental care.

The initiative was held under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sidra Mohiuddin, Head of the Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry. Assistant Professor Dr. Maryam Panhwar, along with lecturers Dr. Yousra Altaf and Dr. Ammarah Muhammad Nauman, also supported the organisation and mentoring of the students.

Six groups of second-year BDS students participated in the competition. Their films addressed different oral health issues and ended with public health messages intended to promote better oral hygiene practices and preventive dental care among wider audiences.

The entries were evaluated by a judging panel comprising Prof. Dr. Ambrina Qureshi, Chairperson of the Department of Community Dentistry at Dow University of Health Sciences, and Syed Aashan Abbas, a television director and producer with more than 20 years of experience in Pakistan’s media industry.

The films were judged on creativity, scientific accuracy, storytelling and public health impact. According to the organisers, the contest was closely contested, with only three marks separating the top two teams.

The first position was awarded to “Fame and Fluorosis,” a film highlighting dental fluorosis and its effect on oral health. The winning team included Laiba Javed, Eeshal Ahsan, Ayma Al-Noor, Anushay Tariq, Rameen Ali, Ashna Alam, Ria Kumari and Areeba Masood.

The second position went to “Aik Muskurahat, Doosra Mauqa,” which focused on periodontitis and the importance of timely oral healthcare. The team comprised Urooj Khalil, Mahnoor Saleem, Syeda Eshmal, Emaan Imran, Asad Ali, Dua Fatima, Rabia Imran and Zaynah Jilani.

The Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry appreciated all participating students for their creativity, teamwork and interest in public health communication. Special recognition was also given to Dr. Yousra Altaf and Dr. Ammarah Muhammad Nauman for their role in guiding and supporting the initiative.

The competition reflected the growing use of creative communication in dental education. It also showed how dental students can contribute to community awareness by combining clinical knowledge with accessible storytelling on oral health and disease prevention.