CHANDIGARH,20.03.23-The Oral Health Sciences Centre (OHSC), PGIMER, Chandigarh, as the National Resource Centre for Oral Healthcare of Children & Elderly (NRC FORCE) under NOHP, MoHFW, Govt of India has been providing free preventive and curative oral health services to residents of all the old age homes in Chandigarh.
To commemorate World Oral Health Day on March 20, 2023 and carry forward their agenda to promote the oral health of the elderly the OHSC, PGIMER delivered the elderly residents the first batch of full mouth dentures (artificial set of teeth). Notably, these dentures were prepared for elderly residents at their old age homes without the need for them to visit a hospital. The occasion also marked the release of Information, education and Communication (IEC) materials as well as the dissemination of the ‘Reference manual for caregivers on oral health care of the elderly’ prepared under the auspices of NRC FORCE. A special announcement regarding initiating two dedicated clinics: i.e. geriatric dentistry & preventive dentistry clinics at the oral health sciences centre, PGIMER was also made.
Speaking on the occasion Prof Ashima Goyal, Head, OHSC, briefed about various outreach activities which OHSC, PGIMER has been doing for the masses, including the school oral health promotion program for all the 115 government schools in Chandigarh.Prof K Gauba voiced that the provisioning of oral health services at old age homes is expected to remarkably improve the oral health quality of the elderly.

Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, who was the chief guest, congratulated the Oral Health Sciences Centre for consistently working in a structured manner over the last three decades to promote oral health in the community. He also emphasised the importance of a healthy body for a happy life and how oral health is integrally linked to general health.
Dr Palika Arora, Director, Social Welfare, U.T. Chandigarh, the Guest of Honour for the event congratulated the masterminds behind the inception of this project and promised to extend full cooperation in delivering oral health services at all the old age homes of Chandigarh.