Cambodia Smile Project Kampot Province
The Challenge
Children growing up in the Kampot Province of Cambodia generally have poor oral hygiene. From birth, they are exposed to sugar-loaded snacks at home and at school where the canteen sells candies and sodas. Due to the lack of oral education and mentoring in the need for regular brushing and flossing, most children soon develop cavities. These result in pain and the inability to attend school and learn
The Innovation
The Buddhist Library Project was set up in the Kompong Speu Province with the assistance of One2One, Reproductive and Child Health Alliance, and the Oral Health Bureau of the Cambodian Ministry of Health. The mission of the resulting ‘Cambodia Smile Project’ was to train primary health care workers in oral health interventions while providing routine vaccinations. The principal component of dental care was the application of fluoride varnish on the children’s teeth. While reducing the incidence of cavities in children, it does not eliminate all of them.
What was needed was to prevent the cavities from reaching the nerves causing pain. The Sumar Lakhani Foundation with the assistance of Dr. Sumar introduced silver diamine fluoride (SDF) into the program. A brushed coating of SDF stops the progression of cavities into the nerve. Hence preventing dental pain and suffering.
Long Term Impact
This project has an agreement with the Ministry of Health from 2012 to 2023. It has three clinics - Cecilia Dental Clinic at Kbal Romeas, Kim Yon Dental Clinic at Kampong Speu, and a Mobile Clinic. The three clinics provide free dental treatments to more than 1,000 children, teachers, and monks every month. Additionally, the trained staff provides preventive care with the application of fluoride varnish and SDF to retard the progression of any pre-existing cavities.
Instructions videos were developed in the local Khmer language to teach the importance of oral care.
After the first two years of this mission, the Cambodian Ministry of Health will incorporate all the components of the ‘Cambodia Smile Project’ into their mandate.
