By olivia Miwil. Oliviamiwil@gmail.com
Published on Aug 13, 2013.
Sabah’s Flying Dental Service goes to remote places to improve oral hygiene, writes Olivia Miwil
TWO years ago, schoolchildren at Kampung Buayan in Penampang used to share toothbrushes among themselves. And they would only brush their teeth when they felt like doing so. But things changed when Sabah Health Department’s Flying Dental Service commenced its services in this rural area in June 2011.
Dental nurse Flora Petrus, who has been part of the service since its implementation, says she has seen improvements in oral hygiene among those children.
“They have learnt the proper way to brush their teeth and pay attention to their diet. We are glad that our awareness talks and teeth brushing demonstrations have yielded the desired effects,” she says.
The flying dental service team usually comprises a dental officer and three dental nurses. They travel to the village from Kota Kinabalu on a private twin-engine helicopter. During their half day visit, they conduct basic dental screening and treatments for the schoolchildren.
DIFFERENT SERVICES
Dental officer Dr Noor Azlinaliana Ibrahim says they only take with them portable or disposable hand instruments.
“The space in the helicopter is about the size of a Perodua Kancil, that’s why we have to limit the items that we bring. Since we can’t take along bulky items like dental chairs, we have to use the school’s furniture.”
Dr Azlianaliana explains that providing dental services in rural areas differs from service in urban clinics due to time constraints. The team has to treat patients, conduct awareness talks and demonstrate tooth brushing to as many as 40-odd pupils at that school within three hours. This is because they have to fly back to Kota Kinabalu by noon as it usually gets windy in the afternoon, dangerous for flying,”
“On average, we come to a village three times a year. That’s why we want to reach as many students as possible during a short visit,” she says.
Village head John Sobitang applauds the service as dental care of the village’s future leaders are being undertaken by the government.
“Most of the parents here are farmers who earn about RM100 every month from their products. It will be costly for them to send their children to the dental clinic in the nearest town as the travel expenses for a return trip a person is RM70,” he adds.
There is no government clinic at the village of about 400 people. Kampung Buayan is only accessible during fine weather by four-wheel drive vehicles. The journey will take about two hours each way. Another option for villagers is to travel by foot which takes six hours.
Flying doctors too
THE Flying Dental Services is set-up under Sabah Health Department’s public health division. Its service covers 14 rural villages in the districts of Penampang, Inanam and Tuaran.
The State health department will extend the service to the east coast of Sabah in the future.
The Flying Dental Services is an expansion of the existing Flying Doctor Services in the State. The Flying Doctor Services has been in operation for almost 38 years. It is now providing medical treatment and emergency evacuation services for 62 villages in 13 districts in the State.
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