CHANDIGARH,15.07.24-The Oral Health Sciences Centre at PGIMER proudly inaugurated "ANANT MUSKAAN: A Multi-Site Implementation Research on Primary School-Based Tooth Brushing and Oral Health Education in India" today. Held at PGIMER, Chandigarh, this event will result in a significant step forward in promoting oral health among primary school children across India.

Prof. Ashima Goyal, Head of the Oral Health Sciences Centre, warmly welcomed various stakeholders and elaborated on the aims of the "ANANT MUSKAAN" program. This initiative, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), aims to enhance the oral health and hygiene practices of primary school children through a structured regimen of tooth brushing and oral health education. The program seeks to introduce these practices to approximately 360,000 primary school children across 3,082 schools in eight districts of India. By employing a multi-centric approach, the program ensures equitable access to oral health education, fostering community engagement and sustainable health improvements.

Panchkula is the first district to kickstart this impactful initiative in India, where we are covering approximately 70,000 school children in 447 primary schools (government and private). Tooth brushing sessions would be held on a daily basis on specifies times and specified time periods. Key objectives of the program include implementing daily tooth brushing routines in schools through trained school teachers, providing comprehensive oral health education, conducting regular oral health check-ups, and holding training sessions for teachers and parents.

The program would be implemented with the help of various stakeholders, including government and educational authorities, school administrators, teachers, parents,community health workers, and the Oral Health Sciences Centre. Each group has clearly defined roles to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the program.

Director PGI, Prof. Vivek Lal, emphasized the Oral Health Sciences Centre's long-standing commitment to improving the oral health of children. He highlighted the success of the Centre's community outreach programs, which began in 1985 in the Raipur Rani district of Haryana. He stressed the importance of early oral health education and preventive care, which have shown lasting benefits in the community.

The Chief Guest, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Hon'ble Governor of Haryana, expressed his admiration for the Centre's efforts and reiterated the state's commitment to supporting such initiatives. He underscored the importance of oral health in overall well-being and praised the program for its innovative approach of educating young children during their formative years.