Healthy Smiles
2015
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), proper oral health is essential to a person’s overall health and the prevention of disease. The National Program on Oral Health in Mongolia states that 83.9% of children under age six are diagnosed with oral cavities, 90-92% of whom need immediate treatment.
In May 2015, FIRE, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Ulaanbaatar, the School of Dentistry of Mongolian National University of Medical Science (MNUMS), and the National Center of Public Health, completed a pilot project to improve oral health among kindergarten-aged children.
This program targeted impoverished kindergartners in Ulaanbaatar. Activities included assessing the children’s oral health, teaching the students proper oral health practices, and distributing supplies such as educational videos and booklets, toothbrushes, and calendars for tracking their brushing routines. All children had their teeth treated and fixed.
It also included creating a supportive environment for children to brush their teeth, through outreach and training of parents and teachers. A complete teaching toolkit is given to each school in the program so that they can continue to teach the children proper oral hygiene. Toolkits include: a Velcro teaching apron, cartoons, booklets, and many interactive teach aids.
Quick Facts
- 523 children aged 4-6 were served
- 68 teachers were trained
- 231 parents were trained
- 5 kindergartens in Ulaanbaatar worked with
- 93% of the children had issues, especially cavities
- 8.2 issues on average were found for each child
- 22 sinks provided to 5 schools in Ulaanbaatar
- 550 toothbrushes and sets of supplies were distributed
