The First Asia Pacific Conference on Health Promotion & Education, July 18, 2009
Symposium-The Pathway to Oral Health Promotion

An evaluation of oral health promotion activities in Nepal
Fukai K
Fukai Institute of Health Science, Saitama, Japan
Association of Dental Cooperation in Nepal, Fukuoka, Japan

Introduction: Oral health can dramatically affect the quality of person’s life, fromchewing and swallowing function to speaking, facial aesthetics, and social interaction.
When health information is not available and preventive measures are not taken,
however, people often resign themselves to the pain or impairment that accompanies
oral disease. This is a common phenomenon in both developed and developing
countries.
Methods: For the 20 years from 1989 to 2009, the Association of Dental Cooperation in
Nepal (ADCN) has implemented a community health program to improve the oral
health of Nepalese people. During our 22 missions we have provided dental treatment to
14,539 patients and offered other health care services to 84,881 residents. Our current
projects include: 1) dental treatment for individuals, 2) oral health worker training, 3) aschool health and fluoride mouth rinsing program, and 4) maternal and child healthservices.
Results: Our dental treatment program, begun in 1989 at the request of the local
community, has continued throughout the 20 years of our work in Nepal. Treatment oforal disease provides immediate relief of dental pain, but it does not provide lasting oral
health. However, this initial core of our program allowed us to gain the trust of the localcommunity. Five years later, in 1994, we initiated our school oral health program andbegan training local people in oral health procedures. The purpose of the schoolprogram was not only to promote awareness of oral health among children and teachers,
but also to implement an effective oral disease prevention program. These programs
were successful beyond our expectations, disseminating from person to person and thento nearby communities—there are currently 6,860 participants in 8 villages. Gradually,more and more mothers became involved in these programs, and in 1998 the volunteer
mothers requested that we hold an oral health training course. Through this training
program, schoolteachers worked together with the mothers.
Discussion and Conclusions: From the experience of our small-scale but long-termefforts, we have become aware that needs-oriented oral health projects can have positive
community-development effects, can change community health priorities, and canempower people at both the individual and community level to overcome healthinequality and inequity.

Three steps of health promotion
in developing countries
Self-reliance anddiffusion
collaborative
health projects
dependent
health projects

goal
healthequity● evaluation andmodification● alliance● people’s participation● leadership● health policy● shared values and collaboration● appropriate technology● development of health care personnel

start● needs of aid-recipient region● motivation of support

differentials
in healthContact information:
Dr. Kakuhiro Fukai
Fukai Institute of Health science, 86 Hikonari, Misato-shi, Saitama, 341-0003, Japan
Phone: +81-48-957-3315
Fax: +81-48-957-3315
E-mail: fukaik@fihs.org

Nepal Dental Mission 22 nd( 23th Dec 2008- 4th Jan 2009）

Thecho村

Lele村

Association of Dental Cooperation in Nepal, 25 th mission, 27 Dec 2011-3 Jan 2012,
Oral health education and examination of elderly

Naurikot村