The Indian Dental Association should develop concrete plans to sensitise youth to the ill effects of using tobacco, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said here on Friday.
Inaugurating the three-day Indian Dental Conference organised by the Indian Dental Association, he said: “In India, there are 280 million people who smoke. Statistics reveal that oral cancers account for more than 40 per cent of the total diagnosed cancer cases in the country.”
He urged doctors to take the benefits of modern science to the common man and said it was imperative to develop research for improving dental education. Mr. Barnala, who released the conference souvenir and honoured veteran dentists on the occasion, called for new strategies to address challenges and emphasised the need to “enhance dentistry skills and provide quality dental care on a par with international standards at an affordable cost.”
President of the Dental Council of India, Anil Kohli, urged dentists to serve in rural areas. He wanted the Central and the State government to create posts for dentists and dental assistants in primary health care centres and government hospitals. Dr. Kohli called for avenues for employment, higher education and a change in the mindset towards service.
