About Us

Children

Introduction

Most children enjoy good oral health, largely as the result of oral hygiene practices, a balanced diet and exposure to appropriate levels of fluoride in various forms. Particular disadvantaged groups of children, those with special needs and from low socio- economic groups, have been identified as being of relatively high risk for oral diseases. Specific oral health risks for this age group arise from such causes as poor supervision of diet and oral hygiene practices and low exposure to fluoridated products.

The caries rate amongst children reinforces the need for appropriate access to high quality dental care for all children. IDA's initiative in this regard is Child Dental Centre (CDC).

Principles

Establishing and maintaining a good diet and oral hygiene practices during childhood are essential if individuals are to enjoy good oral health throughout life. Effective preventive procedures should be provided for all children to achieve and maintain good dental health. All preventive maintenance programmes should be monitored and evaluated. Health promotion activities should be conducted to enable all children and parents to make knowledgeable decisions about their own dental health. Dental care should be available to all children, provided in both the private and public sectors depending on need. This care should provide both preventive and curative dental care.

Policy

All children should begin regular dental examinations by the age of one. All children with developing malocclusions should be assessed by a dentist by seven years of age. The aim of Governments in the provision of dental services to children should be to improve and maintain their oral health through preventive interventions. Eligibility for treatment in the School Dental Service should be restricted to disadvantaged children.

The dental care of children should be provided by dentists with support from dental assistants.

Adolescents and young adults

Introduction

Most adolescents and young adults enjoy good oral health, largely as the result of exposure to fluoride in various forms. Some adolescents and young adults, particularly low socio-economic groups and rural Indians have been identified as being at relatively high risk for oral diseases. Compared with other age groups, adolescents and young adults are less likely to go to a dentist. Adolescents and young adults are in transition to accepting responsibility for their own oral health. Specific oral health risks for this age group arise from lifestyle choices and general health factors.

Principles

Adolescents and young adults with healthy teeth should be able to chew food comfortably and socialise with confidence. Maintenance of good oral health for adolescents and young adults is essential as they are vulnerable to poor lifestyle choices. Education and support is required to assist adolescents and young adults develop good oral health behaviour.

Policy

National health programmes must be maintained or extended to protect at risk adolescents and young adults. Oral health strategies should be developed to address the following lifestyle and general health issues:

• Deleterious dietary behaviour, including grazing, snacking and frequent consumption of cariogenic foods and drinks with high sugar and acid content;
• Excessive consumption of alcohol;
• Use of tobacco;
• Misuse of drugs;
• Oral manifestations of diseases such as diabetes and eating disorders;
• Side effects of medications, e.g. for asthma and mental illnesses; and
• Those living in poverty, homelessness and rural Indians.

Adolescents and young adults who are impaired by developmental or acquired diseases or conditions, including injuries, may have special needs. Oral health education should be targeted at the parents for this group. Adolescent and young adult oral health should be given priority for research funding.

• Dietary Recommendations for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Role of Pediatric Dentists as Both Primary and Specialty Care Providers
• Oral Health Care Programmess for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Second Opinions for Pediatric Oral Health Care
• Use of Fluoride
• Preventive Strategies
• Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Classifications, Consequences, and Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Unique Challenges and Treatment Options
• Management of Patients With Cleft Lip/ Palate and Other Craniofacial Anomalies
• Emergency Oral Care for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Hospitalization and Operating Room Accessfor Dental Care of Infants, Children, Adolescents,and Persons With Special Health Care Needs
• Interim Therapeutic Restorations (ITR)
• Use of Deep Sedation and General Anesthesia in the Pediatric Dental Office
• Model Dental Benefits for Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Individuals With Special Health Care Needs
• Intraoral and Perioral Piercing
• Use of Dental Bleaching for Child and Adolescent Patients
• Prevention of Sports-related Orofacial Injuries
• Use of Xylitol in Caries Prevention

Individuals with disabilities

Introduction

Census 2001 has revealed that over 21 million people in India are suffering from one or the other kind of disability. This is equivalent to 2.1% of the population. Although the number of disabled is more in rural and urban areas. Advances in technology, medical care and community support have resulted in many individuals with a long standing disability having increased life expectancy. Many individuals with disabilities have restricted employment opportunities and may be financially unable to visit a dentist.

Definition

A Disability is the presence of one or more limitations, restrictions or impairments which have lasted or are likely to last for a period of six months or more.

Principles

Individuals with disabilities are entitled to the same level of access to oral health care services as other members of the community. Government support for individuals with disabilities is required. The level of support required will vary depending on the severity of the disability. Oral disease is largely preventable. A large proportion of oral health treatment can be provided in general dental practice.

Policy

IDA aims to ensure that individuals with disabilities have improved access to oral health care. Assessment of an individual’s ability to maintain oral health and prevent disease must be performed by a dentist. Whenever possible, the design of new dental surgeries and modification of existing facilities should endeavour to provide disabled access. Special facilities should be available for individuals whose disability is too severe, or who are too frail or medically compromised, to be treated in a general dental facility. Education and training for health care workers dealing with disabilities regarding oral hygiene maintenance, dietary instruction and basic dental awareness should be readily available.

Dentists and allied dental personnel should be trained to provide care for individuals with disabilities within clinics, nursing homes and residential care facilities.

Remote and rural areas

Introduction

The oral health of people living outside urban areas is frequently compromised because of significant disadvantage in accessing timely and comprehensive oral health care. A major factor is the difficulty in attracting and retaining dentists to rural and remote areas, both general practitioners and specialists.

Improved oral health delivery and a viable dental workforce in rural/remote areas will result from improved planning by Governments in collaboration with the dental profession and other stakeholders. A co-ordinated approach involving improved education and training, greater local community support, increased incentives, and better work conditions is urgently needed.

Principal

People in rural and remote areas should enjoy the same oral health as the rest of India.

Oral health promotion

Water supplies in rural and remote ares should be fluoridated wherever practicable. Oral health should be promoted through collaboration with other health care, community and education workers and organisations. Dentists should be included in rural health associations and organisations. Community-centred promotion of oral halth and preventive care should be initiated.

Delivery of oral health care

Every Indian should have access to quality oral health care. The specific needs of residents of rural and remote areas, including those with special needs (children, adolescents, elderly, disabled, those with language difficulties and minorities in India) should be recognised and supported. Efforts to recruit and retain dentists to rural and remote areas are of the highest priority and should include:

Education and training initiatives

• Exposure of school students to rural dental practice;
• University enrolment practices which increase the number of rural dental

Students (such as rural scholarship schemes and selective placement of rural students in courses);

• Exposure for dental students to rural practice; and
• Access to ongoing and appropriate continuing education. Local community support and incentives
• Education of prospective rural dentists about the community; and
• Assistance to dentists to integrate into the community including aid in

Providing surgery rooms and accommodation for dentists, their spouses and families.

Working conditions and incentives

• Relocation grants and retention payments;
• Financial incentives such as HECS debt forgiveness;
• Better locum schemes;
• Mentor support from experienced dentists;
• Provision of equipment and other facilities for service delivery; and
• Rural health informatics to assist in professional exchange on clinical

All dental schools should conduct placement programmes for dental students in rural and remote areas. Dentists practising in rural and remote areas should have access to professional support and flexible continuing education opportunities. A rural and remote dentists’ network should be established. Government should have initiatives to enhance the recruitment and retention of dentists and allied dental personnel.

State-based initiatives that promote effective utilisation of existing infrastructure and personnel to improve access to oral health care should be developed. Dental Council of India should incorporate rural and remote placements into its procedures for assessment of dental graduates.

Research

The Indian Dental Association (IDA) Survey Centre should enable the assessment of the oral health of rural and remote communities. There should strategies that address the recruitment and retention of dentists and allied dental personnel in rural and remote areas

Research

Introduction

Oral diseases and disorders are a major public health problem.research identifies links between oral disease and broader health problems.however, each year, dental research receives inadequate funding therefore, IDA plays a supportive role to dental research through its involvement in the indian dental research foundation (IDRF).the focus is to research the prevalence, aetiology, control and treatment of oral diseases and disorders.

Definitions

The indian dental association (IDA) survey centre is a comprehensive survey of the oral health status and treatment needs of the indian community.

Principles

Preventive dentistry is an important research area for improving national oral health. dental workforce planning must be based on up-to-date demographic and workforce research. Funding of research is a responsibility of government, industry and the profession.

Policy

Demographic Research

National oral health surveys should be conducted at least every 5 years.

National oral health surveys’ data collection should be conducted by dentists performing clinical examinations. national oral health surveys must have an adequate sample size. accurate workforce data should be collected and collated nationally on an annual basis. the analysis of the data should be promptly and readily available. government funding should be provided to collect and analyse oral health data.

Biological Research

Priority should be given to research into:

• the aetiology of oral diseases and their links with general health;
• better ways to prevent and control oral diseases;
• better ways to regenerate or restore lost tissue.

Research should be conducted in facilities utilising state-of-the-art technologies.

Research

Governments should fund dental research. such funds should be awarded on scientific merit determined by a peer review process. indian council of medical research (ICMR) should make oral disease a research priority.

Additional support and funding for dental research from the community and dental profession are appropriate and should be encouraged. IDA encourages dental research through its continuing support of the Indian dental research foundation (IDRF). where dental research is funded by a commercial body:

• Such funding must be disclosed;
• Such funding should be recognised;
• Such research must not be influenced or suppressed;