National Dental Health Month 2023 at Udayana University, Provide Free Dental Care Services to the Community

Udayana University Dental and Oral Hospital (RSGM Unud) and the Undergraduate Dentistry and Dentist Profession Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Unud held the opening of the 2023 National Dental Health Month (BKGN) with the theme "Indonesian Smile Strong Teeth Healthy Mouth" at the RSGM Unud Building Bukit Jimbaran Campus, Tuesday (12/12/23). This activity was officially opened by the Rector of Udayana University, Prof. Ir. Ngakan Putu Gede Suardana, MT., Ph.D., IPU.

The opening ceremony of BKGN Unud 2023 was also attended by the Chair of the Bali Regional Office of Dentists Association, Drg. I Agus Sundia Atmaja, M.Erg., representative of the Head of the Badung Regency Health Service, Main Director of Unud Hospital Prof. Dr. Dr. Dewa Putu Gde Purwa Samatra, Sp.N(K)., Main Director of RSGM Unud drg. Putu Ratna Kusumadewi G., Sp.KG., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Unud, Prof. Dr. Dr. Komang Januartha Putra Pinatih, M.Kes., Head of the Dental and Oral Department, drg. Mia Ayustina Prasetya, Sp.KGA., and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Dentistry and Dentist Profession Study Program Dr. Drg. Putu Lestari Sudirman, M. Biomed.

Ista Prestiyanti as chairman of the 2023 National Dental Health Month Committee at Udayana University said that BKGN is one of the annual activities of the Undergraduate Dentistry and Dentist Profession Study Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University which aims to provide care and education to the community regarding dental and oral health as well as being an opportunity to promoting the Bachelor of Dentistry and Dentist Profession Study Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Unud and RSGM Unud to the general public.

There are several activities carried out at BKGN this year, including the School Health Program which was carried out for 3 days in several elementary schools, including SDN 4 Jimbaran, SLBN 1 Badung, and SDN 4 Benoa with a total of 1000 students participating. Providing dental examination and care services. for free, such as extractions, simple fillings, and tartar cleaning services with the number of registered patients to date being 750 people, as well as providing free online dental consultation services (teledentistry) and performance competitions between generations.

Director of RSGM Unud drg. Putu Ratna Kusumadewi Giri said that the need for increased quality dental and oral health services encourages every health institution to continue to improve itself in an effort to improve quality infrastructure and human resources. The role of RSGM together with RSPTN Unud which is in the 3rd BKGN also participated so that it can serve the community focusing on dental and oral health services for the next 3 days.

"My hope is that next year, with the full support of the Rector of Unud, RSGM Unud will be able to provide optimal health services so that this activity can be held in full and in full at RSGM just like other institutions. "We also really need support from the Badung Health Service in terms of processing operational permits for RSGM next year," said the Director of RSGM.

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Januartha in his speech expressed his hope that activities like BKGN would not only be carried out during the month of devotion, but could be carried out continuously in the form of preventive, promotive, rehabilitation and curative activities so that the public could feel the benefits of the existence of medical education institutions.

"I hope that activities like this can continue to be carried out, because preventive efforts will of course really save medical costs and we as a medical education institution can become a water tower that is beneficial to the community," said the Dean.

Meanwhile, the Rector of Unud welcomed this activity, and said that Unud was ready to support the revitalization and development of RSGM for the progress of Unud and the smooth learning process of the Dentistry Study Program. Seeing current developments, Udayana University is ready to support the completion and revitalization of the RSGM building and also the Unud Hospital, because apart from being an income generator, the RSGM and Unud Hospital will also help smooth the learning process in the Medical and Dentistry Study Program.

"As Rector of Udayana University, I give my deepest appreciation to RSGM Udayana and the staff and committee as organizers who have prepared this BKGN event. I would also like to thank PT Unilever as a partner who has provided support for the smooth running of this event. Without help and cooperation from all parties, of course this event would not be able to run as expected. I really hope that events like this can continue to be held every year so that they can provide benefits as well as become a forum for introducing RSGM Udayana University to the general public," said the Rector.