• STUDENT
• May 2024
• Bulletin

Serving the Remote Population

Dental students’ outreach in Tai O

Students provide dental check-ups to elderly residents in Tai O.

A perfect blend of community service and experiential learning! Our dedicated team of ten enthusiastic BDS students visited Tai O on March 23-24, to provide dental examination, scaling and oral health education to the elderly residents.

The two-day initiative, supported by HKU Experiential Learning Fund, served as a pilot project to evaluate the feasibility of serving underprivileged population in remote areas of Hong Kong. This initiative has made a positive impact and extended the Faculty’s support to the community in need.

Under the guidance of Professor Phoebe Lam, Clinical Assistant Professor in Paediatric Dentistry, along with project collaborators Professor Chun Hung Chu, Chair Professor of Family Dentistry, and Professor Edward Lo, Chair Professor of Dental Public Health, the dental team offered preventive treatments and personalised oral hygiene advice to promote oral health awareness among the elderly.

The trained volunteer is confident in promoting oral health awareness.

This pioneering project aimed to inspire the younger generation to lead in serving the underserved. It increases the students’ exposure to the less privileged community, enabling them to gain hands-on experience in oral examination and dental treatment in compromised settings.

The team also held a “Train-the trainer” workshop to empower local secondary school student volunteers to become oral health ambassadors. These trained volunteer helpers were equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively promote oral health awareness and provide oral care advice confidently within their communities.

Professor Phoebe Lam highlighted, “The project offered our dental students a chance to apply their knowledge in real-life situations, while enhancing their communication skills with individuals from different walks of life. We hope that through these events, we can reach out to more people with limited dental access, share the knowledge on the importance of oral health, and show our care and support for vulnerable groups in our community.”

A day of service and experiential learning with the Tai O community.