Animated students of Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High School sing about the importance of good oral hygiene at the Colgate’s launch of Oral Health Month. The function was held at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology (UTech) under the theme: ‘A lifetime of smiles begins with the first tooth.’
Spooner received the award recently at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at UTech, alongside second year student Latoya Hamil, who also received US$1,500 to cover her tuition and instruments related to the course. A reflective Spooner revealed that she was at the brink of being deregistered from school as her financial woes heightened and guarantors abandoned her. A close friend encouraged her to apply for a Colgate Scholarship, but having never received any such award before, she was not optimistic.
"At first I was a bit discouraged, but I said if God brings me this far He's going to bring me further," recalled 23-year-old Spooner. "I am more equipped and I'm ready to take on the challenges come what may," she added boldly. "I want to advance myself so I can assist others in return, especially the less fortunate who are in need of adequate oral care."
Keisha Cardoza, Marketing Manager at Kirk Distributors explains that Colgate has appropriate means for students to provide voluntary services related to oral health. "Colgate though its Mobile Unit provides the opportunity for students to give back to the less fortunate in society," she said. As a value added, once awarded a Colgate scholarship, students remain beneficiaries as long as they maintain a 3.0 GPA and participate in extracurricular activities.
The recent launch and ceremony represents the first batch of students in the Oral Health Sciences Programme to commence the clinical aspect of the programme, and Colgate was present to equip the cohort with white professional coats. "We are pleased to be able to assist these young scholars in paving the way towards a bright future, in more ways than one," commented Cardoza.
Speaking on behalf of Dr Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Michael Maragh, Principal Financial Officer noted that this year's theme 'A lifetime of smiles begins with the first tooth' speaks volumes about how important it is to instil 'a culture of good oral health' in children from an early stage. "This is the only way that we will achieve the type of culture change that we need in Jamaica that will bring persons to the realisation that health does not exclude oral health," he noted.
He explained that many health problems including chronic non-ommunicable diseases (which are responsible for about 53 per cent of deaths in Jamaica each year) point to bad oral health as contributing or indicating factors of the onset of illness. Additionally, Maragh declared that many of the same risk factors for chronic diseases can be linked to the development of oral health problems, and these attract high expenses in the health sector. He commented: "The Government spends a significant portion of its resources to treat chronic diseases. These resources could be better directed to other areas of health care especially since these diseases are preventable and only require an adjustment in individual's lifestyle choices."
Maragh stated that the Jamaican population must understand that treatment should not be seen as the only way to good health. There should be also a focus on preventative measures which will reduce the risks of contracting certain illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and respiratory illnesses. He added that the reduction will have to encapsulate oral health as a main component, alongside healthy eating, exercising, reducing alcohol intake and quitting smoking.
Professor Winston Davidson, Head of the School of Public Health at UTech and guest speaker at the launch, also commented on the link between oral health and diseases such as diabetes. He revealed that while the Caribbean is rated at number nine in the world in terms of public health, dental care is still lagging behind. "Yes we have a far way to go but we know where we are coming from. The conditions are now set for takeoff to bring those indices down," he said.
Furthermore, Professor Davidson commented that UTech has provided the opportunity for young ones to pave their way in several dental professions, and the oral hygiene partnership with Colgate and the Ministry of Health will lift the country and the program to higher heights.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/results/Colgate-sponsors-dental-health-students_9863868#ixzz1aZ7JLYm
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