By Magnus Emuji / Rukevwe Adugbo
Delta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu has commended the Nigeria Dental Association , Delta state chapter for effective service and resolve to carry out an advocacy on oral health services in schools.
Ezewu made the commendation in her office in Asaba when the State chapter of the Association led by its Chairman, Dr. (Mrs) Yvonne Mabiaku paid her a courtesy visit.
She described the initiative of the association to organise essay competition for students of public and private schools in the state as commendable and advised other organisations to emulate the gesture.
Earlier, the Chairman of the association, Dr.(Mrs) Mabiaku who congratulated the commissioner on her appointment, said that they were in her office to intimate her of their intending programmes in the education sector as well as everything the Nigeria Dental association was all about.
Dr.(Mrs) Mabiaku emphasized the need for people to embrace oral health care early enough for the purpose of timely prevention of the challenge, explaining that the goal of the association was to deliver effective oral health care services just as she said that her association would organise essay and spelling Bee competitions for the students.
She stated that the association had decided to engage the education sector in realisation of the fact that oral hygiene practices were best developed at the early stages of humans, disclosing that oral health care was beyond the normal cleaning of the mouth.
While urging all individuals to cultivate the habit of visiting dental clinics to ensure that their oral challenges if any would not deteriorate to horrible stage that could lead to mouth odours Dr .(Mrs) Mabiaku, who added that the objective of the Nigeria Dental association was to cater for all the professionals under her umbrella to ensure that all indicated accessed best oral health care.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Augustine Oghoro lauded the association for deeming it to interface with the education sector in the crusade for oral health which according to him had been neglected over time .
Oghoro, who called on corporate organisations to collaborate with the with the Okowa led administration in its commitments to impact meaningfully in the education system, said that the gesture, especially the essay and spelling Bee competitions would impact on the students.