RESEARCH-BASED COMMUNITY SERVICE FKG UGM
“Rincang Massage is a socio-entrepreneurship activity in which we do not only focus on improving the health of children with rare diseases, but also aim to empower parents who are economically affected due to long-term care and therapy. These children are often treated in intensive care units such as the NICU at RSUP Dr. Sardjito, and the treatment period may last up to ten months or more, which significantly impacts their families. One of our initiatives through Rincang Massage is empowering mothers of children with special needs by providing massage skills training, as well as training them to become cleaning service staff,” explained drg. Anrizandy Narwidina, M.DSc., Sp.KGA., Ph.D.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a disorder affecting children and has significant implications in pediatric dentistry, particularly in oral motor function. Oral motor function supports stimulation of dental development, mastication, facial profile formation, and overall oral health status.
This community service activity is research-based and conducted in collaboration with teman.id, a non-profit organization established by a mother who lost her child to a rare disease due to limited access to healthcare services. The IKGA FKG UGM collaborates with teman.id in the cadre development of “Rencang Massage” practitioners.
Departemen dan Program Studi Spesialis Kedokteran Gigi Anak (KGA) Fakultas Kedokteran Gigi Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM) berkolaborasi dengan Fakultas Kedokteran, Kesehatan Masyarakat, dan Keperawatan (FKKMK UGM) dalam kegiatan “Sinergi Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (PkM) Berbasis Riset: IKGA FKG UGM Berkolaborasi dengan FKKMK untuk Inovasi dan Kesehatan Anak Penyakit Langka” yang berlangsung pada 2 November 2025 di Gedung IsDB-KU GIK UGM. Kegiatan ini sekaligus menjadi bagian dari Launching Program Rencang Massage bersama Yayasan untuk Teman.id, sebuah inisiatif yang membuka peluang kerja fleksibel bagi orang tua anak individu berkebutuhan khusus.
The program focuses on improving the health of children with rare diseases, particularly Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and other rare conditions. SMA is a progressive genetic neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness due to degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord. This condition affects oromotor function, swallowing patterns, and dentocraniofacial growth. In the research entitled “Dental Caries Profiling and Genomic–Phenotypic Characterization of Orofacial Dysfunction and Craniofacial Growth in Children with SMA,” children with SMA are key subjects in understanding the relationship between dental caries profiles, complex craniofacial muscle function, and craniofacial growth patterns.
Craniofacial muscle function, including the strength of the lips, tongue, and masticatory muscles, plays a crucial role in daily oral activities such as chewing, swallowing, and speaking.
Through an integrated approach involving clinical services, research, and education, the IKGA FKG UGM team provided oral health education and comprehensive examinations, including profiling of dental caries types, evaluation of dentocraniofacial growth and development, and phenotypic characterization of oral dysfunction. The data and findings obtained will support the future development of orofacial genomics research and precision dentistry.
Through this collaboration, UGM reaffirms its commitment as a higher education institution that not only produces academic innovation and leading research, but also delivers tangible impact for society, particularly for families and children with complex and rare health conditions.
(Andri Wicaksono, drg. Anrizandy Narwidina, M.DSc, Sp.KGA, Ph.D)
