Ludhiana, June 7
The Smiley project is a unique initiative designed by Christian Dental College under which artificial dentures are provided to the poor, especially elderly people, residing in remote areas at their doorstep. The service is extended to the beneficiaries at a subsidised cost through the financial help extended by local voluntary agencies.

Claiming that this was perhaps the only such project of its kind in the region, college principal J.L. Joshi observed that creating dental awareness through dental health education and providing preventive and curative dental care services to the neglected sections of society in remote rural areas was the main aim of this programme.

N.C. Mann, senior consultant in the department of community dentistry, says: “Our teeth do not merely serve the purpose of chewing and eating, instead their importance is far more reaching because they play a crucial role in speaking and phonetics. Tooth loss can occur because of many reasons and the patient then faces a downslide in quality of life. He misses out on nutrition because the food is not chewed properly, leading to indigestion and deteriorating general health.”

The experience showed that very often, because of reduced dental function, the elderly persons were not able to follow a dietician’s prescribed diet chart for common ailments such as diabetes and heart diseases. Other problems like not being able to speak coherently and a defective smile also added to their woes, causing them to lose confidence and developing an inferiority complex and even depression. All these problems had an easy solution, a correctly fitting set of artificial dentures but the senior citizens living in far-off remote areas did not have access to proper dental care.

Keeping these problems in view, added Dr Joshi, a need was felt to respond to this onerous social responsibility of rehabilitating these elderly people, said J.L. Joshi.

Giving details of the milestones this project had achieved, Mann said: “Since the inception of this project in year 2002, we have provided 759 denture sets worth Rs 23 lakh in association with many charitable societies at subsidised rates to senior citizens directly. This has remarkably changed the quality of life by improving their general health, social standing, morale and confidence.”

Lauding the exemplary work of the college, John Abraham, acting director, Christian Medical College and Hospital, said both the CMCH and Christian Dental College were committed towards the welfare of people, particularly the senior citizens belonging to economically backward families. 

Ludhiana, June 7
Dr Vikas Jindal, a faculty member of Christian Dental College, has been invited to attend an international workshop on ‘Contemporary Implant Dentistry’ to be held in Ontario (Canada) on June 16, being conducted by Dr Marshall Freilich.