DHARAMSHALA: The Department of Health of the Central Tibetan Administration organised an awareness and screening programme on oral hygiene in the Tibetan settlements at Miao, Tezu and Tenzingang in northeastern India from 14 – 24 April. Dr Tsewang who works as a dentist in DTR hospital, Mundgod, under the Department of Health carried out this programme. He created awareness about oral hygiene to about 750 people, including the school children, in these regions.  Additionally, about 311 people were provided dental screening and treatment.

The Department of Health organised a similar oral health awareness and screening programme at Tibetan Children’s Village schools in Dharamsala and Gopalpur from 22 April to 2 May. Dr. Tenzin Dadul, an oral cancer specialist from Madras, and Tenzin Dechen, a registered nurse from US, conducted the programme. Around 3,052 students and staff of three TCV schools benefitted from this programme, which mainly focused on prevention and early detection of oral cancer.

“Both these initiatives are aimed to promote better oral hygiene in the Tibetan community with a specific focus on prevention of substance abuse problems at the school level,” the health department said in a statement.