SIFAX Group, UADS Extend Free Dental Care to Over 100 Ibadan....

More than 100 traders and residents of New Gbagi Market in Ibadan have benefited from free dental consultations, preventive oral healthcare and basic medical screenings through a community outreach organised by SIFAX Group in partnership with the University of Ibadan Association of Dental Students (UADS).

Held on July 25 under the Committee on Dental Education and Health (CODEH), the outreach attracted about 130 people for registration, with 101 participants eventually receiving comprehensive dental consultations. In addition to oral examinations, beneficiaries underwent free blood pressure, blood glucose and body mass index (BMI) checks, while 30 patients requiring further oral care received professional scaling and polishing.

The initiative reflects SIFAX Group’s continued support for community-based health interventions and its efforts to improve access to essential healthcare services among underserved populations.

President of UADS, Patrick Okelue, commended SIFAX Group for its longstanding support of the association and thanked traders and residents of the market for their cooperation.

Okelue said the programme was designed not only to provide immediate dental care but also to address gaps in oral health awareness.

“Available medical data shows that less than half of the total adult population in this city had adequate knowledge of oral health, and only 22.1% of those that know had utilised any kind of dental services in the past year, indicating a significant knowledge gap,” he said.

He added that the outreach provided an opportunity to bridge that gap through oral health education, professional consultations and preventive care.

As part of the exercise, participants were educated on proper oral hygiene and received referrals where further treatment was required. They also received complimentary toothpaste. An interactive oral health education session, delivered in English and Yoruba by a final-year dental student, featured practical demonstrations on proper tooth-brushing techniques and addressed questions from participants.

The programme was supported by more than 60 student volunteers drawn from the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital (UCH), alongside six clinical supervisors from the university’s Departments of Periodontology and Community Dentistry.

SIFAX Group funded several aspects of the outreach, including venue preparation, medical consumables, personal protective equipment, volunteer transportation, publicity materials, souvenirs and other logistical requirements.

Following an awareness campaign within the market, participants were registered and screened before being directed to consultation stations. Dental students conducted oral examinations under professional supervision, provided oral hygiene counselling and referred patients requiring additional care.

The scaling and polishing procedures were performed by final-year dental students under the supervision of six qualified dentists, with infection prevention and patient safety protocols strictly observed. Organisers said beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with the services provided.

Market leaders and traders at the end of the exercise praised SIFAX Group and UADS for bringing free oral healthcare directly to the community, describing the intervention as timely and beneficial.

UADS said it remains grateful to SIFAX Group for making the outreach possible and disclosed plans for another major community dental programme at Aleshinloye Market in September. The planned outreach is expected to further extend oral health awareness and preventive care beyond conventional clinical settings.