BY MIKE TUA
HOSPITAL ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) Dentistry Personnel are currently been partnering with several dental professionals from the Honiara City Council and Guadalcanal Health and Medical Services to visit primary schools for a dental screening, it is estimated that over a thousand students in the country will be examined.
Pacific Partnership 2022 Mission Commander, Capt. Hank Kim told journalists at the press conference held at the US consulate office in Honiara that they will visit 21 schools in the country.
“We have 21 schools that we are going to visit and we have visited a few already – we have done about 150 examinations already and in total, our current estimate is that we will see over a thousand students in the schools for dental examinations,” Capt. Hank Kim said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Navy Pacific Partnership, Dental Planner, Lt. Cmdr. Alice-Anne Alcorn earlier told the media that a combined team of local dentists in the country will continue to visit schools and communities this week.
“We aim to raise awareness about the importance of oral hygiene to children and schools. And for the past two weeks, we have been partnering with several schools that have ongoing oral health initiatives projects.
“Then hopefully we’ll continue with our outreach to the rest of the communities about the importance of oral hygiene.
“And for the remaining weeks, we will do more daily school engagements and then we would be also providing care at the National Referral Hospital and the Honiara City Council Mataniko Dental Clinic,’’ she said.
Sunday Isles understands that the combined team of dentists from the Solomon Islands and Pacific Partnership 2022 will continue to conduct dental examinations, and teach proper oral hygiene in schools and communities as part of the efforts to build lasting relationships with the country.
