Dental mission strives not just for treatment, but education
Published by: Malaya Business Insight
Dental mission strives not just for treatment, but education
Good dental hygiene is one of the foundations of oral health. Regular brushing and flossing, along with visits to a reputable dentist is key to maintaining the health of our teeth and stave off issues that could crop up in the future.
However, not everyone has this habit ingrained in their youth and for Dr. Samantha Bernardo, the owner of Awesome Smile Dental Clinic, her yearly dental mission is also a platform to educate the public on the necessity of looking after our teeth.
This year, Dr. Bernardo held her dental mission at Brgy. Tumana in Marikina City. “Marikina has a special place in my heart because we grew up on the boundary of Marikina and Cainta. My first clinic was actually the first floor of our home. I wanted to give back to the community that helped me when I started,” she said.
The dental mission saw over 500 individuals availing of dental services over the course of the day. This included dental fluoride treatments, cavity fillings, and tooth extractions. Aside from the treatments, Dr. Bernardo also held a seminar for parents, teaching them the basics of oral hygiene.
“Dental education should start at home. We wanted to teach the parents how to properly brush their teeth, how often it should be done, when should a toothbrush be replaced, and other information so that they could teach their kids. Good dental habits should be developed at an early age so parents are key in this,” she said.
“Education is one of the most important steps in improving oral health. There are instances where they would go to dental clinics and by that time, it’s too late and the tooth needs to be extracted, or there are other more invasive procedures that need to be done. We want to prevent this from happening,” she added.
To help further her push dental education for all, Dr. Bernardo has also partnered with celebrities such as Daniel Matsunaga and Boss Toyo. Her latest brand ambassador is Mika Salamanca who appeals to a younger demographic.
“As someone with a strong influence on Gen Z, Mika has the unique power to shift mindsets, especially when it comes to oral healthcare. Many young people still feel intimidated by dental visits, and through this partnership, we hope to break that stigma and show that taking care of your smile can be simple, empowering, and even exciting,” Dr. Bernardo said.
Speaking at the sidelines of the event, Dr. Bernardo also raised concerns about the growing popularity of dental veneers. Veneers are custom-made shells designed to cover the front surface of teeth, improving their appearance.
However, she noted that this does not address the underlying causes of tooth degradation. “Because it’s become popular, many patients get these installed, not knowing that they have to have their teeth shaved off for the veneers to fit. This makes teeth health harder to maintain, especially if they don’t have good oral hygiene habits. Ill-fitting veneers can lead to gum disease such as gingivitis and it could lead to tooth decay,” she noted.
“We need to address the root cause first. You could have veneers installed and enjoy pearly-white teeth during the duration of wearing veneers, but once it is removed, the underlying teeth could already be damaged,” she added.
