Without healthy teeth and gums, quality of life can be compromised. More than just a beautiful smile, dental health is key to productivity. This was the central message of the National Dental Health Month (BKGN) 2024 at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held from 17–19 December 2024.
drg. Silviana Farrah Diba, Sp.RKG(K), Chair of BKGN UGM 2024, explained that this event marked the culmination of a series of programs, including the School Health Program and Teacher Training for Health Cadres in five elementary schools in Yogyakarta: SDIT Ash-Siddiq, SLB Negeri 2 Yogyakarta, SD Budi Utama, KBRA Baiturrahman, and SDIT Bakti Insani. “Over the next three days, we aim to provide free dental check-ups for 750 patients, including elementary school students and the general public,” she said.
The event was also attended by Ari Sujito, UGM's Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, who emphasized that this initiative represents UGM’s commitment to the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. “Good oral health contributes to productivity, and maintaining dental hygiene is essential,” he stated.
Dean of FKG UGM, Prof. drg. Suryono, expressed his appreciation to PT Unilever for its 15-year collaboration, which has helped FKG UGM provide free dental services to the community. “Thank you to everyone who has worked hard to make this event a success,” he remarked.
drg. Ratu Mirah, Head of Professional Marketing Personal Careat PT Unilever, highlighted that this initiative was made possible through collaboration between Pepsodent (a Unilever brand) , the Indonesian Dental Association (PDGI), AFDOKGI, ARSGMPI, and the Indonesian Ministry of Health to address oral health issues.
She also noted a positive trend in oral hygiene awareness. According to recent data, the habit of brushing teeth and consulting a dentist twice a year has improved, as seen in the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) and the 2023 Indonesia Health Survey. “So far, this program has benefited over 1.1 million people,” she said.
The theme of BKGN 2024 was “Dare to Show Your Teeth, Supporting a Stronger Smile for Indonesia”. The event also featured Pepsodent’s online dental consultation service, introduced in 2022, now enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. With advanced AI features, this service encourages more people to seek regular dental consultations.
"In the past two years, we have also introduced an inclusive program involving students from special-needs schools (SLB), ensuring that more communities benefit from this initiative," added Ratu.
In 2024, UGM was the final university to host BKGN. With the teledentistry service, patients unable to attend in person could still access dental healthcare digitally, improving both accessibility and quality of oral health services for a broader community.
Author and Photo: Fajar Budi H.
