Gum Health 2019: Ireland – student seminar and partnership with hygienists

Dublin Dental University Hospital was the focus of activities for Gum Health Day organised by the Irish Society of Periodontology.

The event was advertised during the preceding week through a table presentation in the hospital reception foyer with brochures on periodontal health and disease provided to patients.

Undergraduate dental and dental-hygiene students, postgraduate periodontal students, and staff all promoted a self-assessment test of gum health among new patients attending during this period. Patients were also given advice on prevention and oral-hygiene aids.

A special seminar on oral hygiene and prevention was conducted to coincide with Gum Health Day. More than 40 dental students participated in presentations to fellow students and staff on oral-hygiene techniques and the importance of preventive care and a healthy periodontium.

The society said that the “biggest development” this year was partnering with the Irish Dental Hygienists Association (IDHA) to promote Gum Health Day.

“This vastly increased the reach of the event within Ireland,” said Peter Harrison, president of the Irish Society of Periodontology. “The IDHA supported the event via their social media outlets and we provided poster materials for hygienists to use within practices. We would like to thank IDHA for their active involvement in 2019 and will continue this partnership next year.”

He added that, with growing support from partner organisations and societies, “Gum Health Day is really starting to have a more impactful reach among dental professionals and the public in Ireland.”

In addition, the society was “grateful to receive the significant number of resources provided this year and we used most of them in our activities.”

The Irish perio society edited the Gum Health Day press release prepared by the EFP and sent it to dental media, with the result that news of the awareness day appeared in all three Irish dental publications, which are circulated in all dental practices in Ireland.

And the society used the website and social media sliders to promote Gum Health Day via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It also distributed some of these materials to partner associations to gain wider reach for the event.

The society’s promotional activities and statements highlighted the importance of prevention, the benefits of treatment, the links between oral and systemic health, and the contribution of oral health to general wellbeing.