Children learn about oral hygiene through interactive games.
The Institute for Advanced Dentistry – Multi-Specialty Clinic (IAD-MSC) of HKU Dentistry hosted a "Mini-Dentist Experience Day" on 16 November, crafted for children with additional needs. The event, organised in collaboration with the Child Development Centre (CDC), a local NGO providing educational services to children with additional needs, saw the participation of 23 children alongside their parents and resident dentists from the Paediatric Dentistry department at IAD-MSC.
Dental visits can be overwhelming for children with additional needs due to their heightened sensitivity to sensory inputs like sights, sounds, and tactile sensations, often resulting in anxiety and discomfort. Limited access of specialised care further intensifies these challenges during dental visits.
The Mini-Dentist Experience Day offered a range of interactive games and activities, designed to acclimatise the children to the dental clinic environment in an engaging and comfortable way. The children were given the chance to act as mini-dentists, donning white coats and partaking in practical activities such as learning about oral hygiene and conducting dental check-ups on their parents. Before the event concluded, IAD-MSC's resident dentist performed basic oral check-ups on the children, which allowed parents to gain insights into their children's oral hygiene status.
The event garnered positive feedback from both parents and CDC staff, with participants expressing enthusiasm and active engagement throughout the activities. IAD-MSC hopes that such events will help alleviate any dental visit-related anxiety in children and promote awareness of oral health care.
IAD-MSC is a cornerstone initiative of the HKU Faculty of Dentistry, offering expertise in seven different dental disciplines, including Paediatric Dentistry. The clinic's primary mission is to train dental specialists in Hong Kong and provide advanced dental care at affordable rates to individuals with severe and complex oral conditions. If needed, children can receive specialised treatment under general anaesthesia (GA) or monitored anaesthesia care (MAC) to ensure a smooth treatment.
