Samarinda, 25-29 September 2024 Abdoel Wahab Sjahranie Hospital in Samarinda hosted a comprehensive social service event initiated by the National Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) of East Kalimantan. This event focused on performing cleft lip and palate surgeries for children from low-income families in need of medical assistance. The activity is a tangible expression of BAZNAS and medical professionals’ commitment to providing essential healthcare services to the community. Cleft lip and palate are congenital conditions that affect children’s appearance and their ability to speak and eat, and these surgeries are expected to improve their quality of life.
This social service event carried the theme "Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Comprehensive Care for Cleft Lip and Palate." This theme reflects the involvement of various dental disciplines to provide holistic care to patients. Three departments from the Faculty of Dentistry at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM) participated in the event: the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, the Department of Orthodontics, and the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Each department played a crucial role in caring for patients with cleft lip and palate, from initial treatment to comprehensive healing and rehabilitation processes.
This collaboration exemplifies a comprehensive approach to addressing health issues, particularly in cleft lip and palate surgeries that require specialized skills from various dental disciplines. By involving interdisciplinary collaboration from the Specialist Dental Education Program (PPDGS) in Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, and Oral Surgery from FKG UGM, patients receive care that not only focuses on surgical procedures but also includes long-term care to ensure optimal outcomes. The synergy between pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and oral surgery enables the achievement of comprehensive solutions for each patient.
In addition to the team from FKG UGM, this social service event also received full support from the Indonesian Dental Association (PDGI) in Samarinda and the Indonesian Orthodontic Association (IKORTI) branches of East and North Kalimantan. The involvement of these professional organizations further strengthens inter-agency collaboration in delivering the best healthcare services to the community. Local dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons will work alongside the FKG UGM team, creating a synergy that benefits not only the patients but also enhances the competencies of local medical professionals through knowledge and experience transfer.
This event is expected to provide significant benefits to the community, particularly for patients receiving free surgical services. Additionally, it serves as an important opportunity for students and young doctors to learn directly in real clinical situations. They will be involved in various stages of care, from diagnosis to surgical procedures and rehabilitation. Through this experience, young medical professionals are expected to develop clinical skills and reinforce their understanding of the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in handling complex medical cases.
Over the course of five days, this social service event is anticipated to have a positive impact not only on the participants but also to inspire the community and other medical professionals in East Kalimantan. This cross-disciplinary collaboration serves as an example of how healthcare services can continue to improve through solid cooperation among various parties. This activity aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) khususnya pada tujuan ke-3 (Kehidupan Sehat dan Sejahtera), tujuan ke-4 (Pendidikan Berkualitas), tujuan ke-10 (Berkurangnya Kesenjangan), dan tujuan ke-17 (Kemitraan Untuk Mencapai Tujuan).
Authors: drg. I Putu Arya Ramadhan, Al Haqi Insan Pratama
