A Visit to SOS Orphanage

1 Nov 2022

The Community Service and Environmental Affairs Committee, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine organized a field trip training for fourth year students to SOS Orphanage in Nasr City on Saturday 29^th of October 2022. A group of students and staff members from the faculty joined the field trip.

The purpose of the visit was to raise the awareness of the employees and the care givers of the children regarding dental health and how to improve the oral health care of the children, caregivers, and the employees of the orphanage. Balloons, pens, and chocolates were distributed to the children at the beginning of the visit to break the ice between them and the students in order to ease the process of the examination.

The children at first were given the dental casts and toothbrushes to show their techniques of brushing. Afterwards, the students presented a live demonstration using toothbrushes and simulating dental casts to show the children the proper technique for tooth brushing and to correct the faulty techniques used by them. The students examined all the children and the caregivers, and each one was individually given a diagnostic card to facilitate their treatment later at the MIU Dental Clinic Complex. Dental treatments and transportation from and back to the orphanage house free of charge were also offered.

Students played with the children and took photos with them the whole day. A hundred toothbrushes and toothpastes were distributed to the children. Also, food supplies were given to the orphanage house together with 520 notebooks that were purchased and given upon their request.

Questionnaires were distributed to the employees to determine their dental health needs and to evaluate the provided program and measure their satisfaction with the visit. Another questionnaire was also distributed to the students and staff members participating to evaluate the visit and its outcome.